Sacro-Iliac Joint Injection is an injection of long lasting steroid ("cortisone") in the Sacro-Iliac joints – which are located in the low back area.

The steroid injected reduces the inflammation and/or swelling of tissue in the joint space. This may in turn reduce pain, and other symptoms caused by inflammation / irritation of the joint and surrounding structures.

The actual injection takes only a few minutes.

The injection consists of a mixture of local anesthetic of lidocaine  and the steroid medication,

Dr. Rosen will numb the skin and deeper tissues with a local anesthetic using a very thin needle prior to inserting the needle into the joint. 

It is done with the patient lying on the stomach, under x-ray control. skin in the back is cleaned with antiseptic solution and then the injection is carried out. After the injection, you are placed on your back or on your side.

Immediately after the injection, you may feel that your pain may be gone or quite less. This is due to the local anesthetic injected. . Your pain nat return and you may have a "sore back" for a day or two. This is due to the mechanical process of needle insertion as well as initial irritation form the steroid itself. You should start noticing pain relief starting the 1st or 2nd day or so.

You should have a ride home. We advise the patients to take it easy for a day or so after the procedure. You may want to apply ice to the affected area. Perform the activities as tolerated by you.

Unless there are complications, you should be able to return to your work the next day. The most common thing you may feel is sore back.

The immediate effect is usually from the local anesthetic injected. This wears off in a few hours. The cortisone starts working in about 1-3 days and its effect can last for several days to a few months.

If the first injection does not relieve completely your symptoms in about a week to two weeks, you may be recommended to have one more injection. If you respond to the injections and still have residual pain, you may be recommended for a third injection.

It is very difficult to predict if the injection will indeed help you or not. Generally speaking, the patients who have recent onset of pain may respond much better than the ones with a long standing pain.

Generally speaking, this procedure is safe. However, with any procedure there are risks, side effects, and possibility of complications. The most common side effect is pain – which is temporary. The other risks involve, infection, bleeding, worsening of symptoms etc. The other risks are related to the side effects of cortisone: These include weight gain, increase in blood sugar (mainly in diabetics), water retention, suppression of body’s own natural production of cortisone etc. Fortunately, the serious side effects and complications are uncommon.

The steroid injected reduces the inflammation and/or swelling of tissue in the joint space. This may in turn reduce pain, and other symptoms caused by inflammation / irritation of the joint and surrounding structures.