SI Joint Pain

[tenaciousone]

Has anybody had steroid injections to relieve SI joint pain?  I welcome your comments.

[Tuckamore]

Hello,

Another SIJ sufferer. I have SIJ Dysfunction so severely that it has disabled me. I had been told by many specialist that this was no longer considered a worthwhile procedure. They said it was only a good diagnostic tool. My PCP and I decided it was worth trying. We searched for a physician that would perform the procedure, two hours away from my home. Last March I had the SIJ injections. The first one decreased my pain by about 10%. I had almost 100% pain relief for 4 hours. I danced around and laughed it was WONDERFUL.  I had the second one ten days later and it reduced my pain by about 25% for three weeks. That was it. The first one did not hurt very much. Of course the give you IV sedation. The second one was extremely painful and I remember much of it. They told me I cried (I am not a crier) all the way through the procedure. The difference was my SI was not out when I had the first one and when I had the second on my SI was out. So make sure your SI is in good alignment when you have the procedure.That is important as far as I and my PCP are concerned.

Would I do it again? No. The pain relief was not long enough nor significant to consider a repeat. Three months after the procedure I was worse than before I had it. That does not mean it will not be effective for you. I have had SIJ Dysfunction for many years. It went undiagnosed for over 12 years and therefore does not respond well to treatment. My condition is extreme.

I would certainly have the procedure if I were you. I learned a lot at the pain clinic where it was preformed. There were other patients there that had great relief. The nurse told me that many ppl had complete relief or others that had months and years worth of significant pain reduction. I met a male that said he had two or three  injections approximately every 12-18 months and he had returned to normal functioning.

Please let us know how successful this procedure is for you. I will look forward with great interest to your updates. Best of luck and take care, Tuck

[Bob641]

Hi again, in short answer to your questions: yes the cortisone/steroid injection are worth considering.I must warn you that sometimes they don't work, it is not yet found why, but to me is that they don't hit the right spot sometimes. If they are done right you will find relief within minutes to a couple of hours and tend to last for a month approximately.The inflammation is reduced, yes, and the pain will greatly reduce or disappear completely. You can take the shots for as long as you want if I'm correct, there is no time frame established for them, also if I'm not wrong,that is what I was told. I has been having them for about a year, in a monthly basis, and only in a couple of occasions they didn't worked and then I had to wait two weeks to take the next one. To me it is worth.  

[tenaciousone]

Hi Bob: I dad a 2 level spinal fusion, L4-S1, 12 years ago.  The fused bone cracked and my pain has been constant since then.  In hindsight, I think the surgery was a mistake as my pain now is in the same location, both SI joints.  I met a nurse the other day, in the therapy pool, and she has had 3 surgeries and got significant relief from cortisone/steroid injections.  I was wondering if this is something I should consider?

Do they reduce the inflammation? would a belt be a better answer? if I go the injection route, how long do they last and how long can you take them?

Thanks Bob

[Bob641]

Hi, I had steroid(cortisone) injections, but in my herniated cervical(between the C6 and C7. Maybe I can answer your question.Let me know.