The Sacroiliac Joint (or SI Joint) is located at the base of the spine. It occurs where the ilium (hip bone) and the sacrum meet. Inflammation in this joint is a source of pain for many patients. The joint has a large surface area and it can become quite painful when inflamed. In addition, it can cause stabbing pain that localizes to where your back and your butt meet. When particularly inflamed, it can feel like there is an ice pick in the joint. When this happens it can make it difficult to go up or down stairs, to lie on your side, or to walk in general. At Integrated Sports & Spine some of the treatments we offer include osteopathic manipulation or interventional injections. These injections are done using corticosteroid and anesthetic medication shot into the joint space to help calm down inflammation.

Diagnosing Sacroiliitis

When sacroiliitis might be an appropriate diagnosis, our providers will place your hips and legs in certain positions causing the SI joints to become compressed. These tests will help determine if the pain is coming from the SI Joints or another area of the spine or hips. After that, an interventional injection into the joint can be both therapeutic and diagnostic. The injection is therapeutic from the steroid that reduces inflammation. In addition, it can be diagnostic by providing immediate pain relief from the anesthetic. If the injection does provides immediate relief, it can prove the pain was coming from the SI joint.

Treatment Options

Interventional injections are typically done in our office and use a fluoroscope for guidance. The fluoroscope is a real-time X-Ray that allows the doctor to follow progression of the needle. After the needle is in the SI joint, a combination of steroid and anesthetic medication is injected into the joint. This procedure is simple and out patient. Because of that, most patients walk out of our procedure suite without assistance. The pain relief from this injection should last several months.

Osteopathic Manipulation is a physical treatment method that can help reposition the joint and associated bones (iliac and sacrum) back to their correct position.

SI Joints are just one of many areas of your back and spine that can benefit from thereputic injections. The ISS team provides therapeutic injections to tackle various pain issues and conditions, providing customized interventional pain management for each patient.

Contact Us More Theraputic Injections