Fluoroscopic Guided Piriformis Injection
A fluoroscopic guided piriformis injection is a procedure for relieving pain caused by piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched by contractions of an inflamed piriformis muscle in the buttocks.
What is a piriformis injection?
A piriformis injection is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure for diagnosing and relieving the painful symptoms caused by piriformis syndrome.
During a fluoroscopic guided piriformis injection procedure, a combination of anesthetic and steroid medication is injected into the piriformis muscle.
The medication bathes the muscle, reducing inflammation and relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve. This frees the sciatic nerve from compression and alleviates pain.
What Can I Expect During the Procedure?
You will be brought into the procedure room, where you will lay face down on a special table. Your skin will be cleaned at the injection site and a local anesthetic will be applied to numb the skin.
The physician will use a type of x-ray machine called a fluoroscope to help guide a small needle to the correct location in the piriformis muscle. Once the needle is in place, the anesthetic and steroid medication is injected into the muscle.
The needle is then removed and a small bandage is placed over the injection site. The entire procedure lasts about 10-15 minutes.
What Can I Expect After the Procedure?
You will be monitored for a short time following the procedure, to ensure you have no adverse reactions to the medication. After that, your driver may take you home.
We recommend that you take it easy and avoid applying direct heat to the injection site for the remainder of the day. You may resume normal activities the next day. You may resume your regular diet and medications immediately unless instructed otherwise by your physician.
You may experience tenderness or aggravated symptoms for several days after the injection as the anesthetic wears off. Apply ice packs to help with this pain.
The medication usually takes one to three days to reach full effect, though it can take up to a week in some cases. Relief can last anywhere from a few months up to 18 months. Three to four injections can be performed within a 12-month period.
Piriformis injections can provide effective relief from:
Schedule a consultation with Twin Cities Pain Clinic today to see if a piriformis injection can help with your pain.
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