Injections for Joint Pain Relief

Essentially, a joint is a point in the body where two bones meet. There are various types of joints within the body that assist with structure, mobility, and overall physical function of the body. Fibrous joints are immovable joints, cartilaginous joints are partially movable, and synovial joints are freely movable. The most commonly referred to joint is the synovial joint. Common examples of this joint include hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

All synovial joints have a synovial capsule surrounding the entire joint, a synovial membrane which secretes synovial fluid (a lubricating liquid) and cartilage known as hyaline cartilage which pads the ends of the articulating bones. Since this joint is so movable, it is more susceptible to inflammatory diseases that can lead to pain, decreased function, and decreased range of motion. When these disease processes start to occur is normally when people seek out treatment. A joint injection is one common treatment that can offer joint pain relief.

A joint injection can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. It involves injecting a medication into a synovial joint in order to relieve painful symptoms and improve the joint’s function. The type of injection determines the number of injections required. Joint injections represent an excellent nonoperative treatment to relieve common type of joint pain. The various types of joint injections we provide include anti-inflammatory, Hyaluronic Acid (HA), and regenerative medicine.

Regenerative Medicine

See section on stem cell and regenerative medicine for more detailed information.

Joint Injection FAQs

Why Are Joint Injections Performed?

Joint injections can be an effective treatment for numerous painful and inflammatory conditions, including:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Osteoarthritis

What Are the Most Common Application Sites for Joint Injections?

Some of the common joint injection sites include:

• Knees
• Ankles
• Shoulders
• Digits
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Sacroiliac joint – the joint located at the bottom of the spine that connects the spine to the hips
• Hips

What Does Getting Joint Injections Involve?

In joint injection procedures, the medical primary care provider uses an ultrasound probe to position the needle into the joint space. Prior to inserting the needle, the joint will be felt in order to determine exactly where the injection needs to be placed. Once identified through both palpation and ultrasound guidance, the injection area will be cleaned with antiseptic. Next, the medicine is administered into the joint and the joint is then moved around, allowing passive range of motion to disperse the medicine. The entire procedure takes approximately 10-20 minutes.

After getting a joint injection, you may experience minor soreness around the injection site for a few days. The effects and degree of pain relief from a joint injection are dependent upon your condition, but most patients start noticing relief within the first few days. In some cases, multiple rounds of injections may be necessary. The length of time that the effects of joint injections last will also vary depending on the patient and the type of injection used.

Joint injections can be highly effective at decreasing localized pain and swelling in a joint. Joint injections may also decrease the accumulation of fluid and cells in the joint and can temporarily decrease stiffness. In regenerative injections, there is a 97% efficacy of reversing the underlying disorder; therefore, potentially not needing future injections. Regenerative medicine has been known to eliminate the need for surgical intervention in many situations.