Sacroiliac Joint Injection

An option to treat or diagnose lower back pain

Sacroiliac Joint Injection

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Sacroiliac Joint Injections are intended to either treat or diagnose lower back pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction or arthritis in the sacroiliac joint. The sacroiliac joint is the place where the sacrum and the iliac bones connect. It is where the tailbone and the pelvis are joined by very strong ligaments. A steroid medication and anesthetics mix is used for the injection to help reduce swelling and inflammation in the joint as well as help relieve pain.

During SI joint injections, the patient lies down on his/her stomach. A local anesthetic is used to numb the skin and the tissue down to the sacroiliac joint. The physician will use touch and a fluoroscope to find the sacroiliac joint and then, gently advancing the needle to the joint, inject the medicine. The needle is then removed and a small bandage is applied. The patient will remain in the surgery center for at least 30 minutes for observation after the procedure.  If there are no adverse reactions (allergic reaction or leg numbness/weakness), the doctor will release the patient to go home.

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This injection procedure is performed to relieve pain caused by arthritis in the sacroiliac joint where the spine and hip bone meet. The steroid medication can reduce swelling and inflammation in the joint.

Common Questions about the SI Joint Injection

Sacroiliac joint injections are a low-risk, non-surgical tool to combat lower back pain and sciatica associated with arthritis in the sacroiliac joint or sacroiliac joint disorder. As with any minimally invasive medical procedure, there are risks that you’ll want to discuss with your physician before treatment is administered. The potential side effects or risks are minor and occur infrequently:

  • Soreness and bruising where the needle was injected
  • Potential infection at the injection point, the tissue or the sacroiliac joint
  • An allergic reaction to the medication

Injections are a non-surgical treatment option for lower back pain. Injections can be useful both for providing pain relief and as a diagnostic tool to help identify the source of the patient’s back pain.  They are typically considered as an option to treat low- back pain after a course of medications and/or physical therapy is completed, but before surgery is considered. You’ll want to speak with a physician that specializes in spine-related disorders, like the physicians at SpineOne, to decide what treatment options are right for you.

A Sacroiliac joint injection can be more effective than oral medication because it delivers medication and anti-inflammatories directly to the source of the symptoms.  Depending on the severity of symptoms, this form of pain relief may be long-lasting or may be only temporary. You’ll want to discuss your options with a highly qualified physician that specializes in spine-related problems, like the spine specialists at SpineOne.