I have this, too, but only on one side of the joint. I was in a severe accident that caused some permanent damage on that entire side of the body. I can tell you what works for me and has been working for a few years now.

First, of course, was getting the diagnosis. That took a long time.

I've had cortisone shots into that side of the joint four times, about 6-9 months apart. That was the key ingredient in my recovery because it drastically improved the swelling, inflammation and bracing in the surrounding soft tissue.

When it was at its very worst about 3 years ago, I went to physical therapy for two months. A big part of that was teaching me things I could do on my own at the very first sign of it returning. Which is happening right now. Just on the one side. The pain is in the low back, hip, groin and down the leg to the knee.

If it does not improve within the week, I'll go back to the doc for another cortisone shot. I don't get the shot directly into the joint. That usually requires being guided by x-ray or other expensive high tech tools. It's a big deal. We found out that if the shot is in the general area of the joint it works. One of the problems is that all the muscles and ligaments brace and that causes pain and presses on nerves. The area right above my tailbone gets red and swollen when I'm having an attack, but the shot is given over on the side, about at the halfway point between spine and edge of hip. The area above the tailbone is red and swollen right now, so an attack is beginning.

Nothing physical triggers an attack. For me, it's usually some sort of emotional stress. Which has been really high recently. I don't know exactly how that triggers an attack, put the pattern is very clear. For me, an attack lasts indefinitely without treatment. I sometimes have painful days or nights from something I've done, but I don't call it "an attack" or seek treatment unless it's on-going, without let-up.

I also use a TENS machine. My insurance paid for it. It's slightly bigger than a cell phone. Instead of putting the pads directly on the most painful area, I put them directly on the spine right above my buttocks, as low on the spine as I can go before my glutes get in the way. Then I'll read a good book and I'll zap myself with the electrical stimulation for several hours. It helps tremendously. Doing it one treatment at a time doesn't help me. A treatment lasts between 20-30 minutes. It takes at least two hours to have a real effect.

The problem in the joint causes something called sacroiliitis to be triggered in me. That's basically inflammation of the entire sacroiliac area, the soft tissue and joints. It is extremely painful. If I lay flat without moving, it's just sore, but I can't stand up without extreme pain. I can't sit in a chair or ride in a car or stand for more than a few minutes without excruciating pain. The cortisone shot helps that within about three days and it lasts for months.

The cortisone goes in with lidocaine and that immediately helps the pain. What most people do is ... everything. Suddenly the pain is gone and they do too much. My doctor told me he wouldn't give me the shot unless I promised to go directly home and take it easy for three days -- no housework, yard work, shopping, gym, nothing. Three days, or I'd hurt myself worse and the shot wouldn't work. I followed his instructions and also used the TENS unit and did physical therapy. I got my life back.

Some people find cortisone shots painful. I don't. A little burning for a minute or two. The pain of the shot is a thousand times less than the pain of the ailment. For me. Other people say otherwise. It just proves that we can't really judge anyone else's pain levels according to our own. For me, a cortisone shot is easy and simple.

I now have long periods of time when I am pain free. I can walk, sit, even run. I'm a dedicated gym rat and I work out hard. But the hardest thing I do at the gym is climbing the one flight of stairs to the second floor. I have to stop and rest. It's still painful, almost impossible, my leg goes numb while climbing stairs, even when I'm pain-free in every other activity. I can walk downstairs with no problem. Just not upstairs.

Writing this has been helpful. I think I'll call the doc for an appointment ASAP to get another shot. Thinking about the pain, when it's bad ... well, you know ... it's really bad and interferes with everything, even using the bathroom. There were days when I had to have help even with that. No fun!

But with proper treatment, I am pain-free, active, hiking, lifting weights, doing it all, except climbing stairs. That'll probably always remain a problem.

I wish you the best and hope you can find some relief. It's not permanent, but months without pain after suffering, it's a pretty good deal.

edited to add: I also have degenerative disc disease in the lower back and arthritis in the area. The above treatment program helps with the pain of that, too, for me anyway.