Sacroiliac Joint Injection

The sacroiliac joints are a joint in the region of the low back and buttocks where the pelvis actually joins with the spine.

If the joints become painful they may cause pain in the low back, buttocks, abdomen, groin or legs.

A sacroiliac joint injection serves several purposes. First, by placing numbing medicine into the joint, the amount of immediate pain relief experienced will help confirm or deny the joint as a source of pain. Additionally, the temporary relief of the numbing medicine may better allow a chiropractor or physical therapist to treat that joint. Also, time release cortisone (steroid) will help to reduce any inflammation that may exist within the joint(s).

What happens during the procedure?

The patients are placed on the X-ray table on their stomach in such a way that the physician can best visualize these joints in the back using x-ray guidance. The skin on the low back is scrubbed using 2 types of sterile scrub (soap). Next, the physician numbs a small area of skin with numbing medicine. This medicine stings for several seconds. After the numbing medicine has been given time to be effective, the physician directs a very small needle, using x-ray guidance into the joint (sacroiliac, facet) or place needle near the nerve. A small amount of contrast (dye) is injected to insure proper needle position inside the joint space (or near nerve). Then, a small mixture of numbing medicine (anesthetic) and (sometimes) anti-inflammatory (cortisone/steroid) is injected. One or several joints (nerves) may be injected depending on location of the patients usual pain.

What happens after the procedure?

Immediately after the procedure, the patient will get up and walk around and try to imitate something that would normally bring about their usual pain. Patients are then asked to report the percentage of pain relief and record the relief experienced during the next week on a post injection evaluation sheet ("pain diary"). This will be given to the patient when they are discharged home. The leg(s) may feel weak or numb for a few hours. This is fairly uncommon, but does occasionally happen. The patient may be referred to a chiropractor or physical therapist immediately after the injection(s) while the numbing medicine is still working for manipulation or massage.