Sacroiliac Joint Injection

Up to 30% of all low back pain comes from the sacroiliac (SI) joint, which connects your spine and pelvis. At Pain Management Centers of New England in Newburyport, Massachusetts, the region’s foremost interventional pain management specialists offer sacroiliac joint injections that relieve painful inflammation on-site, with no extra surgery center or hospital fees.  Drs. Ho and Branton also provide services at Beverly Hospital's Pain Management Center at the Lahey Outpatient Center in Danvers and at Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, MA.

If you have chronic low back pain, call the office nearest you or book your appointment through the convenient online scheduler today. 

What are sacroiliac joint injections?

Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections are a diagnostic and treatment method for people who experience low back pain in the SI joints, the pair of joints that connect your spine to your lower body. 

This type of injection delivers medicine directly to the source of your pain, calming inflammation and relieving your pain.  The procedure is performed under Xray guidance for precise placement of the steroid and local anesthetic. The procedure is performed under Xray guidance for precise placement of the steroid and local anesthetic.

Who is a good candidate for sacroiliac joint injections?

In up to 30% of low back pain cases, the pain stems from the SI joints. Your SI joints provide stability and absorb shock. When they’re inflamed and irritated, they can’t do their job without causing considerable pain and stiffness. 

You might experience trouble walking and standing if you have SI joint inflammation. Some people experience shooting pain that moves through their hips, buttocks, groin and down a leg. Others may need to sit on one side to lessen the pain. Some have pain with changing positions from sitting to standing or they may feel that their leg buckles when walking.

So, if you have chronic low back pain that doesn’t improve with conservative therapies such as physical therapy, and the pain appears to come from your SI joints, you could need sacroiliac joint injections.

What can I expect during sacroiliac joint injection?

During a sacroiliac joint injection, you lie flat on your stomach. You receive a local numbing medication in your low back, and your doctor uses advanced X-ray imaging to guide a thin needle to your painful SI joint. 

The medicine typically includes a steroid and an additional anesthetic. You might briefly experience some stinging and pressure during the injection. 

What are the alternatives to sacroiliac joint injections? 

Treatment should always start with conservative measures such as physical therapy, activity modification, a home exercise program and medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

SI joint injections provide pain relief lasting from days to months. If the injection confirms the SI joint as the reason for your pain and you need repeated injections, the team might suggest a longer-lasting treatment in the future such as radiofrequency ablation.

Fortunately, there are effective treatments for both chronic SI joint pain and other sources of back and buttocks pain, including:

• Epidural steroid injections
• Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (mild® procedure)
• Lumbar radiofrequency ablation and neurotomy
• Coolief® radiofrequency ablation of the knee
• Intracept® procedure
• Kyphoplasty by Medtronics®
• Nevro® High Frequency spinal cord stimulation HFX®

Dr. Branton, Dr. Ho and Meghan Chase NP have pain covered across the north shore and Merrimack Valley.

Call Pain Management Centers of New England or click on the online scheduler to make your appointment today.