Sacroiliac-joint steroid injections help diagnose and relieve lower-back pain caused by problems with one or both sacroiliac joints, which connect the spine’s base (sacrum) to the pelvis’s ilium bones. If one or both of the sacroiliac joints is inflamed (sacroiliac-joint dysfunction), a patient can experience pain in the buttocks and lower back that worsens when running or standing. Sacroiliac-joint dysfunction can be caused by osteoarthritis, traumatic injury, pregnancy, inflammatory joint disease, or underlying structural abnormalities.

Reasons For Sacroiliac-Joint Steroid Injections

A sacroiliac-joint steroid injection is used to confirm a diagnosis of sacroiliac joint dysfunction, more commonly known as SI joint dysfunction. Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a condition that results from the flawed movement of either one or both of two small, firm joints at the base of the spine. Typically, the sacroiliac joints have a very small range of motion, providing stability when, for example, a person is walking. They also absorb impact and serve the critical role of transferring the upper body’s weight to the lower body. An irritated SI joint can lead to inflammation in the joint, a condition known as sacroiliitis. With sacroiliac joint steroid injections, patients receive a local anesthetic, and steroid medication administered through the injection reduces their swelling and provides maximum pain relief for several months. As with other spinal blocks, a sacroiliac-joint injection can be repeated up to three times a year.