SI joint injections
SACROILIAC JOINT INJECTIONS
Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections/ joint block is a temporary alternative treatment for SI joint fusion. An SI joint injection is also used as a diagnostic test to confirm sacroiliac joint dysfunction, a painful inflammation causing lower back pain and/or sciatica (back/leg pain).
The sacrum is the area at the base of the spine, connecting the tailbone to the hip bones (pelvis), if you will; the sacroiliac joint sitting in-between. Chronic inflammation in this area is called sacroiliac joint dysfunction. It's this pain that an SI joint injection aims to diagnose and temporarily reduce.
Risk Factors for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Women have a wider sacrum than men, leading to a greater incidence of SI joint dysfunction in women of all ages, but men may be affected as well. Other risk factors include:
With symptoms that can mimic sciatica or a herniated disc, diagnosing SI joint pain and dysfunction can be difficult. This is where the main use of an SI injection/ joint block comes in handy.
sacroiliac joint pain
DOES RECEIVING A SACROILIAC JOINT INJECTION HURT?
Similar to a selective epidural, you'll usually be mildly sedated. A needle is injected near the joint with the aid of X-ray guidance or fluoroscopy. First, a contrast dye in injected to make absolutely certain the positioning of the injection is correct. Once the correct location is confirmed, an anesthetic/numbing agent is injected.
You'll be asked to try to replicate activities that cause you pain. If you experience a significant reduction in pain, the procedure will be performed one more time. This time, an alternate anesthetic/numbing agent will be used. You'll be asked to perform the same pain-inducing movements. If you experience the same pain relief as the first treatment, a diagnosis of SI joint dysfunction can be confirmed, the SI joint being singled out as the root of your pain.
This test is solely for diagnostic purposes. If you're receiving an SI injection for long-term pain reduction, the application is a little different. The mechanics are the same, but instead of an anesthetic like lidocaine or bupivacaine, a corticosteroid (long-lasting anti-inflammatory) is injected.
The long-term therapeutic application/ version can be repeated up to three times a year, with a reduction in pain typically lasting from six months to a year. This is not a cure, however, and should not be used as a lifelong means of pain management, as corticosteroids can cause long-term harm to the tissue of the joint. The therapeutic application is to relieve your pain, allowing you to complete physical therapy.