What are Sacroiliac Joint Injections?
A sacroiliac joint injection is used to diagnose or treat lower back pain that comes from your sacroiliac joint, where your spine connects to your pelvis.
For the procedure, your healthcare provider injects medicine directly into the joint to ease pain, or help identify where your pain is coming from.
Why Are Sacroiliac Joint Injections Performed?
This kind of treatment will be performed to either ease confirmed sacroiliac pain, or as a nerve block to help to confirm whether your pain is coming from that joint.
Pain in the sacroiliac joint can happen for a range of reasons, including normal wear-and-tear and injury.
Due to the numbing medicine used during this procedure, you may experience temporary pain relief afterwards that may last several hours. But once the numbing medicine wears off, your pain will most likely return until the injection becomes active – usually within 24 hours.
How are Sacroiliac Joint Injections Given?
After the doctor examines you, an x-ray will take place to help guide the doctor to the appropriate location. The skin is numbed with local anesthetic. Using X-ray guidance, a needle is advanced into the sacroiliac joint.
From there, your doctor will keep an eye on you for up to 30 minutes and then you’ll be heading home to enjoy mobility and pain relief.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sacroiliac Joint Injections
1. Are there restrictions after this kind of injection?
You will not be able to drive after, because bending and twisting of the spine should be avoided. You will need somebody who can drive you home after the procedure. Otherwise, we recommend taking it easy.
2. Does the injection hurt?
There will always be numbing medication applied, to help limit the pain. Though some patients do report a slight sting at the injection. There should be no intense pain during or after.
