Sacroiliac Joint Injection
A sacroiliac joint injection is used to diagnose or treat low back pain originating in the sacroiliac joint. The two sacroiliac joints connect your hip bones to the sacrum, the large vertebra at the base of the spine that supports your upper body. As a result of injury or certain medical conditions, the sacroiliac joints can become inflamed. This inflammation is a very common cause of low back pain and can also cause pain in the legs, groin, and buttocks.
What is a sacroiliac joint injection?
A sacroiliac joint injection is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure to reduce pain caused by inflamed sacroiliac joints.
An anti-inflammatory medication (steroid) mixed with a local anesthetic (numbing agent) is injected into the sacroiliac joint. The numbing agent provides immediate, though temporary, pain relief while the steroid helps decrease the inflammation that is causing pain.
After this injection, patients may experience several months of pain relief.
What can I expect during the procedure?
You will be brought into the procedure room and laid 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 and tissue near the joint.
The physician uses an x-ray machine called a fluoroscope to help guide a needle directly into the sacroiliac joint. A steroid and anesthetic mixture is injected into the sacroiliac joint. The needle is then removed, and a bandage is placed over the injection site.
The entire procedure only takes about 20-30 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 reaches full effect within one week.
You should follow-up with your provider two weeks after the injection to assess its effectiveness and determine the next step in your care.
Sacroiliac Joint Injection can be utilized as a treatment for:
Schedule a consultation with Twin Cities Pain Clinic today to see if a sacroiliac joint injection can help with your pain.
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