Joint Injections

A joint injection is an outpatient procedure that can ease chronic discomfort. This kind of injection numbs a painful area, reduces inflammation in that area, or both. 

If conservative treatments such as osteopathic manipulation, massage therapy, physical therapy, and medication aren’t adequate, or if they help, but the results don’t last long enough, joint injections may be a good way to improve and prolong your pain relief. 

In most cases, joint injections are a blend of steroid medication and local anesthetic. The steroid can quickly reduce the inflammation, while the anesthetic breaks the pain cycle by numbing the affected area for a few hours. After that, the steroid provides sustained anti-inflammatory effects for as long as several months. 

The Pain Control Center of Pittsburgh also offers regenerative medicine injections, another type of joint injection. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) uses cells from your blood to intensify your body’s healing abilities. Because PRP encourages rapid tissue growth and repair, pain relief follows.

Joint injections may relieve discomfort if you have joint pain due to inflammation. With chronic conditions like arthritis, sports injuries, and overuse conditions, inflammation can cause many types of joint pain, including:

• Hip pain
• Back pain, including the sacroiliac (SI) joint and spinal facet joints
• Knee pain
• Neck pain
• Leg pain
• Ankle pain
• Elbow pain
• Shoulder pain

Joint pain can happen for many reasons, and there’s not always a clear-cut cause. But, regardless of the cause, reducing the inflammation is one of the most effective methods of nonoperative pain relief available today. 

You may receive a local numbing agent before your joint injection. In some cases, the Pain Control Center of Pittsburgh team uses X-ray or ultrasound imaging to guide joint injections. With this imaging, they have a live picture of your painful joint during the procedure, which allows for the most accurate placement. 

After the injection, you move into a recovery area to rest for a short time. The team monitors you during that time and then contacts your designated driver (you can’t drive immediately after a joint injection) to take you home.

You receive comprehensive discharge instructions before you leave. Follow these directions closely over the next few days. Most people can resume regular activities the next day.

Most people start to feel better in around five days, although it could take up to a few weeks to notice a change in your pain level. 

The Pain Control Center of Pittsburgh team performs more joint injections than anyone in the area, so they’re the experts you can trust. Call the office or click on the online booking tool now.