Summary of Procedure: Joint Injections
Oftentimes patients struggle with pain in their major joints. Hips, knees, and shoulders are all considered major joints in the body. For a variety of reasons, patients may struggle with major joint pain. Sometimes the underlying cause is arthritis, an old injury, degenerative changes due to the aging process, or even repetitive use.
Joint injections are primarily used to reduce pain and prevent pain from occurring, even if they don’t address the underlying condition. The purpose of major joint injections is to significantly decrease the amount of inflammation in the joint, thereby reducing pain and increasingly overall functionality to perform daily tasks and other activities.
There are many different types of major joint injections ranging from corticosteroids to hyaluronic acid injections. At Carolina Spine & Pain Centers, we perform our major joint injections under fluoroscopy to ensure that your provider is directing the pain medication to the precise area it is needed.
In the event of a steroid injection, the medication reduces inflammation and helps to relieve pain in the area. In the case of a hyaluronic acid injection (used for knee joints), the injection uses a similar substance to what naturally occurs in the body to cushion and lubricate joints. This injection is typically administered once a week for several weeks in a row to achieve optimal results.
Related: Injections for Back Pain in Greenville
What to Expect Post-Procedure of a Joint Injection
Infrequently, some patients will experience some mild pain and swelling post-injection, but this is very short-lived. Most patients experience significant relief from these injections and may return to their favorite activities with noticeably less pain or no pain at all.
If the hyaluronic acid injections are a success, many patients experience relief from anywhere between 6 months to a year. These injections are sometimes repeated once their results wear off, but oftentimes they are very effective at postponing or avoiding a total knee replacement. In the case of other major joints, similarly effective results are achieved without hyaluronic acid.
Call one of our many Carolina Spine and Pain office locations to learn more about joint injections. You can get in touch by calling us at 864-808-2995 or by filling out a form here.