Sacroiliac Joint Injection
What is a sacroiliac injection?
The sacroiliac joints are the large joints of the low back where the pelvis joins the spine.
What is sacroiliac joint dysfunction?
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is an injury or inflammation of the joint, which may cause pain in the lower back, buttocks and some times groin and legs.
Patients often relate a history of trauma such as a fall on the buttocks or a motor vehicle accident. Pain may also begin after simple twisting motions
that combine bending forward, tilting the pelvis, or twisting the trunk as in a golf swing, shoveling snow, or bending and reaching sideways to pick an
object of the floor.
How is a sacroiliac injection is performed?
The patient lies on her/his stomach. The skin over the joint is cleaned with antiseptic solution and is injected with local anesthetic, after which the
sacroiliac joint injection is performed under X-ray guidance.
What medication is injected?
The medication is commonly a combination of local anesthetic, steroid and xray dye.
How much time does the procedure take?
The procedure usually takes 20-30 minutes.
How long does the effect last?
The effect might last for a few hours, or much longer.
What is the next step after a positive response to the injection?
If you benefit from the procedure, the next step might be radiofrequency treatment of the nerves to the sacroiliac joint, or additional injections.
Who should not have the injection?
If you are taking any medications that effect blood coagulation (Coumadin, Plavix, Ticlid or others)or if have any active infection, you should not have
the procedure without further discussion. Please, warn us of any allergy especially to local anesthetics, x-ray dye, seafood and latex.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the medical procedure, we highly recommend watching this informative video showcasing the process of Sacroiliac Joint Injection.