Do you suffer from hip pain? Are you tired of taking medication that doesn’t seem to help? If so, you may be a candidate for SI joint injections. SI joint injections are a minimally invasive treatment option that can help alleviate hip pain. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of SI joint injections and how they can help you reclaim your comfort!
The Benefits of SI Joint Injections for Hip Pain Relief
There are a few benefits of joint injections for hip pain relief. The first is that the injection can help to lubricate the joint, which can in turn, help to reduce pain and inflammation. The second is that the injection can help to improve joint function. And lastly, the injection can also help to reduce the risk of future hip pain and disability.
How SI Joint Injections Work
The SI joint is located where the sacrum meets the iliac crest of the hip. It is a weight-bearing joint and is held together by strong ligaments. The joint has a small amount of movement, but it is essential for shock absorption and transferring weight from the upper body to the lower extremities.
SI joint injections are used to treat pain that originates from the SI joint. The injection delivers a steroid medication and an anesthetic directly to the joint, relieving pain and inflammation. The injection can also be used to diagnose SI joint pain, as the injection of pain medication can help to confirm that the SI joint is the source of pain.
SI joint injections are generally safe and effective, but some risks are involved with any medical procedure. Complications from SI joint injections are rare but can include infection, bleeding, or nerve damage.
Who is a Candidate for This Type of Injection?
A candidate for SI joint injections is someone who is experiencing pain in the sacroiliac joints. These joints are located in the lower back and connect the spine to the pelvis. When they become inflamed, it can cause a great deal of pain. The injections are meant to help reduce this inflammation and pain.
The Risks and Potential Side Effects of SI Joint Injections
The sacroiliac (SI) joint is a small, triangular-shaped bone located at the base of the spine where the pelvis meets the spine. The SI joint transfers weight from the upper body to the lower extremities and provides stability to the spine.
SI joint injections are a treatment option for patients with pain in the SI joint that has not responded to other conservative treatments, such as oral medication, physical therapy, or chiropractic care. SI joint injections can be performed with either corticosteroids or local anesthetics.
Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that can help reduce swelling and pain. Local anesthetics work by numbing the area around the SI joint and can provide temporary relief from pain.
SI joint injections are generally considered safe, but there are some potential risks and side effects associated with the procedure. These include infection, bleeding, and nerve damage. There is also a risk of developing a blood clot after an injection.
SI Joint Injection FAQs
It’s estimated that over 85% of adults experience low back pain at some point. Of those individuals, many will also experience SI joint pain. The SI (sacroiliac) joints are located in the lower back, where the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) meets the iliac bones (the large bones that make up the sides of the pelvis). These joints act as shock absorbers, absorbing the impact from everyday activities such as walking and standing.
However, the stress and strain placed on these joints can become painful and inflamed. When this happens, it’s often necessary to seek treatment from a healthcare provider. One common treatment option is an SI joint injection.
SI joint injections are typically done as a diagnostic tool to help determine if the SI joint is the source of pain. They can also be used as a therapeutic treatment to relieve pain and inflammation. During the procedure, a needle is inserted into the SI joint and a local anesthetic and/or steroid medication is injected.
If you’re considering an SI joint injection, there’s a good chance you have some questions about the procedure. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions(FAQs) about SI joint injections:
1. How long does a joint injection take?
The actual injection itself only takes a few minutes. However, you should plan on being at your healthcare provider’s office for about an hour total since you’ll need time to check in and we’ll need to position you for the injection.
2. Does an SI joint injection hurt?
You may feel a brief sting when the needle is first inserted into your skin. After that, you shouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure since we’ll be using a local anesthezic. Some people do experience temporary soreness or tenderness at the injection site after the procedure, which usually goes away within a day or two.
3. Are there any side effects from an SI joint injection?
Most people don’t experience any significant side effects from an SI joint injection. However, as with any medical procedure, there is always a small risk of complications such as bleeding or infection. More serious complications, such as nerve damage, have been reported in rare cases, but this is extremely rare. Most people who undergo an SI joint injection do so without any problems whatsoever.
4. How long does it take for a joint injection to work?
The local anesthetic injected during your SI joint injection will start working immediately and should relieve pain for several hours. If we also inject a steroid medication, it can take up to 2-3 days for that to start working. Still, it usually provides longer-lasting relief than just using a local anesthetic alone. In most cases, people will notice some degree of pain relief after just one injection, but sometimes multiple injections are necessary to achieve optimal results.
The benefits of SI joint injections for hip pain relief are numerous. By directly targeting the source of your pain, SI joint injections can provide significant and long-lasting relief. In addition, SI joint injections can help improve your range of motion and flexibility and reduce inflammation and swelling.
