A SI (sacroiliac) joint injection contains a local anesthetic, often combined with corticosteroids. This minimally invasive procedure targets pain originating from the sacroiliac joint, the connection between your spine and pelvis.
What are the components?
- Local Anesthetic: This numbs the joint, providing immediate pain relief. The duration of numbness varies, lasting from a few hours to 12 hours depending on the specific anesthetic used. Examples include lidocaine or bupivacaine.
- Corticosteroids (often included): These potent anti-inflammatory medications reduce swelling and inflammation in the SI joint, offering longer-lasting pain relief than the anesthetic alone. Common examples include methylprednisolone or triamcinolone.
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Uses
SI joint injections serve two main purposes:
- Diagnosis: If pain relief follows the injection, it strongly suggests the SI joint is the source of the discomfort.
- Treatment: The combination of anesthetic and corticosteroid provides both immediate and long-term pain relief.
Several sources confirm this composition and use. For example, the Cedars-Sinai website states that a sacroiliac joint injection is used to "diagnose or treat low back pain that comes from your sacroiliac joint," and the StatPearls article notes that the procedure involves introducing "a local anesthetic or a mixture of local anesthetic and corticosteroids" into the joint. Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic highlights the use of corticosteroids to reduce swelling and pain directly within the sacroiliac joint.
