The founder of the Georgia Spine & Sports Physicians Spine & Sports Fellowship, Robert Windsor, MD, most recently served as the CEO and chief medical officer of National Pain Care, Inc. Having worked in the pain management industry for more than three decades, Robert Windsor, MD, has developed a familiarity with such procedures as sacroiliac joint injections.
A sacroiliac joint injection, or sacroiliac joint block, treats sciatica symptoms caused by sacroiliac joint dysfunction and low back pain. As evidenced by the name, these injections are made into the sacroiliac joints, which connect the hip with the spine on both sides of the body. When this area becomes inflamed, the pain it causes can radiate to the leg, groin, abdomen, or buttocks.
In most cases, a sacroiliac joint injection takes between 20 to 30 minutes. During the procedure, patients will receive an IV with medication that helps them relax if they are feeling nervous. While lying on an x-ray table, the skin over the sacroiliac joints is cleansed and numbed. Using a small needle, physicians inject contrast dye into the joint with the guidance of an x-ray. Once physicians know the joint is accepting medication by checking the location of the contrast dye, they slowly inject anti-inflammatory cortisone.
Although patients can usually move and return home shortly after the procedure, they may continue experiencing some numbness or weakness in the leg for several hours. Pain may also continue for a few days following the procedure.
