Sacroiliac Joint Steroid Injection
A sacroiliac joint block or otherwise known as a sacroiliac (SI) joint injection is used to both diagnose and treat lower back pains and sciatica indications that are related to sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Connected to the sacrum and the hip on both sides, the sacroiliac joints also lie next to the spinal cord.
The two sacroiliac joints are placed one on the right side and the other on the left. Any inflammation or dysfunction on this area can cause severe pain.
The sacroiliac joint injection procedure has a two-fold purpose: to locate the source or cause of the patient’s pain or condition, and to alleviate the pain. Most commonly the procedure is done mainly to relieve the pain due to arthritis in the sacroiliac joint. This joint is located where the hip bone and the spine connects. The steroidal medication is very much ideal to help reduce the swelling and inflammation in the said joint. There are occasions that these are separated procedures (diagnostic and therapeutic) but for most times the two procedures are combined into one injection.
Sacroiliac Joint Located
The patient lies down on their stomach and a pillow is placed under the abdomen for comfort and to arch the back while getting ready for the procedure. The doctor then feels the back area and uses a fluoroscope at the same time to find the sacroiliac joint. A medication to relax your nerve is given while the skin and tissue of the back is desensitized using a local anesthetic on top of the sacroiliac joint.
Needle Inserted
Afterwards, the doctor slides a needle into the anesthetized track going through the sacroiliac joint.
Steroids Injected
After the needle has been inserted, the physician connects a syringe and administers a steroid-anesthetics mix as it is injected into the sacroiliac joint. This procedure bathes the painful area in a steroid-anesthetics mix medication.
End of Procedure
After the procedure is finished, the doctor pulls the previously inserted needle and dresses the injection area.