The Kent Centre for Pain Medicine and Neuromodulation: Sacroiliac joint injections
Information for patients
This leaflet explains what sacroiliac joint injections are and how they may help with chronic pain relief. If you have any questions, please speak to your GP or other relevant health professional.
What are sacroiliac joints?
Sacroiliac joints lie next to the spine and connect the spine with the pelvis on both sides. There are two sacroiliac joints, one on the right and one on the left.
Sacroiliac joints do not move much, but they are essential weight bearing joints. Usually they cause no pain at all. However should one or both become inflamed or arthritic (also known as ‘wear and tear’) they can then become painful.
How will a sacroiliac joint injection help?
A sacroiliac joint injection is one way of treating back pain that starts from these joints. This is not a cure but may reduce your pain temporarily.
A preparation of steroid and a local anaesthetic is injected in to or around these joints. This may reduce inflammation and pain.
Will I have to stay in hospital?
This procedure is carried out as a day case procedure (you can go home on the same day). The procedure is carried out in one of the theatres in Day Surgery to minimise your risk of getting an infection. Shortly before your procedure you will be asked to change in to a theatre gown.
What happens during my procedure?
The procedure is carried out under x-ray control. This allows your doctor to identify the specific area to be treated. It is important that you tell your consultant if there is any possibility that you may be pregnant, as x-rays may harm your baby.
You will be asked to lie down on your front. Once you are lying in the correct position, your doctor will prepare the area to be treated with an antiseptic solution which may feel cold.
A local anaesthetic is injected at the site of the procedure. This may sting to start with, before your skin goes numb.
It is important that you keep still during your procedure, as a special hollow needle will be carefully inserted under x-ray guidance in to the correct position.
A mixture of local anaesthetic and steroid is injected in to the area.
The above may be repeated on both sides of your spine.
A small dressing will be used to cover the injection sites. This can be removed after 24 hours. Do not worry if it falls off sooner.
What are the possible side effects?
There may be some pain and bruising at the needle site, which should settle over a few days.
You may have some bleeding from the needle site.
You may feel a little unsteady when you first stand.
The procedure may make your pain worse, this should stop within a few weeks.
There is a small risk of infection at the site of the injections.
You may have some leg weakness or numbness, which should stop over a few hours.
Female patients may have irregular periods, due to the use of steroids.
People with diabetes may have unstable blood sugar levels due to the steroid effects.
Rarely, you may have some mood changes due to the steroids.
Very rarely, there is a risk of temporary or permanent nerve damage.
What will happen after my injections?
You will be discharged home one to two hours after your procedure.
You must not drive for 24 hours following your procedure, please arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital. We strongly recommend that you have someone stay at home with you until the following day.
You should start your normal activities as soon as possible. However, you should avoid any strenuous activities for at least one day after your injections.
You may notice an immediate improvement but steroids work slowly, so even if the injections have worked well you may not notice any benefit for several days.
Sometimes there may be a slight increase in pain, but this should settle with time.
Will I need a follow-up appointment?
A telephone appointment will be made for a nurse to call you approximately six to eight weeks after your procedure. You will be told by letter of the date and time for this appointment. The nurse will review the outcome of your procedure, so they can plan what happens next and discuss this with you during your telephone appointment.
If you continue to have good benefit from the procedure, you may be discharged from the Pain Clinic.
Further information
If you have any concerns regarding the information in this leaflet or your procedure, please phone the Pain Clinic.
Kent Centre for Pain Medicine and Neuromodulation (direct lines)
Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury
Telephone: 01227 783049Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital, Margate
Telephone: 01843 235094William Harvey Hospital, Ashford
Telephone: 01233 616691
Useful information
For further information on chronic pain and its treatment options, please go to:
Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. Information sheet for adult patients undergoing: sacroiliac joint injection for the treatment of pain.