Joint pain affects millions of people, limiting movement and making even the simplest activities difficult or even impossible. While joint surgery is sometimes the best solution for severe joint problems, many people benefit from a much less invasive therapy: joint injections.
Thomas E. Powell, MD, is a leading provider of nonsurgical pain relief therapies including joint injections, helping patients at Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine finally find relief for aching, stiff joints. In this post, Dr. Powell and his team offer a brief overview of joint injections, including how they work and whether they might be a good fit for your needs.
Joint pain can happen for different reasons. Arthritis is a major cause of joint pain, affecting well over 50 million adults in the United States and millions more worldwide. Traumatic injury can lead to long-term joint pain too, as can autoimmune conditions, joint deformities, gait abnormalities, inflammatory disorders, and even age-related wear and tear.
Regardless of the underlying cause, there’s no denying that joint pain can have a major impact on your health, your comfort, and your overall quality of life. Fortunately, joint injections can help relieve many types of joint pain by delivering a mix of medications tailored to each person’s unique needs.
Many people benefit from injections that include a fast-acting anesthetic for immediate pain relief, combined with anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the underlying inflammation over time. Some joint injections use lubricants, like hyaluronic acid, to reduce friction inside the joint, protecting joint surfaces from additional damage while improving joint function.
Joint injections can be used on their own or as part of a broader treatment plan. They’re especially effective when combined with physical therapy focused on improving not only joint mobility, but strength and flexibility, too. Injections maximize the benefits of physical therapy by reducing pain so you can engage in exercises more effectively.
One reason why joint injections are so effective in managing pain is that they can be delivered directly to the joint for precise placement right where the pain is occurring. That’s why many joint injections involve using real-time imaging to ensure optimal placement of medications.
Once we map out the injection site, we cleanse the area thoroughly. Next, we use a special needle to inject medication and fluids into the joint space, a process that takes just a few moments.
Once your injection session is complete, you can have some soreness and mild swelling around the injection site. This is completely normal and clears up within a day or two.
For about 48 hours after your injection, you’ll need to rest the joint and avoid using it for any weight-bearing activities, giving time for the injection’s medications to take effect. We provide complete instructions to help you resume activity without overstraining the joint.
Depending on your needs, we may recommend a series of injections spaced out over a few weeks or a touch-up treatment in a few months to maintain your benefits and protect your joints from further damage. Your treatment plan is designed specifically for you.
Joint injections can be a great option for people with mild to moderate joint pain. Best of all, injections can be repeated to help you find long-term relief and delay or even avoid surgery.
To learn more about joint injections and how they can play a role in your pain management regimen, request an appointment online or over the phone with Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, today.
