How long does a sacroiliac joint injection take to work for sacroiliac joint dysfunction?

The injection is placed near the sacroiliac joint, often with imaging guidance. Any local anaesthetic may reduce pain for a short period, while the injected anti-inflammatory medicine may take additional time to show its effect. Some people notice little change, and relief may be temporary. A response can help the clinician judge whether the joint is contributing to your pain, but it does not explain every possible source of pain around the lower back or buttock.

Soreness at the injection site can occur. Your clinician may ask you to record pain and activity during the days after the procedure, which makes the response easier to interpret.

Follow the instructions about rest, bathing, driving and exercise. Avoid strenuous activity until your clinician says it is appropriate, then return gradually. Keep a simple record of pain, walking tolerance and any change in leg symptoms. Continue the prescribed mobility or strengthening plan; an injection is usually one part of a broader approach rather than a substitute for rehabilitation.

Read about [Sacroiliac Joint Injection](/treatments/spine-care/sacroiliac-joint-injection/) and [Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction](/conditions/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction/).

Contact the clinic for increasing redness, warmth, drainage, fever, severe or persistent injection-site pain, or new weakness. Seek urgent care for loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, rapidly worsening leg weakness, or severe breathing difficulty.

Ask what medicine was used, when to judge the response, and which activities are allowed afterward. Ask how the result will affect your rehabilitation plan and what other causes should be considered if the pain does not improve.