Joint injections can relieve pain and reduce inflammation if you have osteoarthritis, bursitis, or a rheumatic disorder. At Advanced Sports Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, Jim Johnson, MD, treats all types of joint pain with nonsurgical injections. Joint injections combine steroids and anesthetics to alleviate pain, so you can participate in a rehabilitative physical therapy program without discomfort. To learn more, call Advanced Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment online today.
Joint injections deliver corticosteroids directly into the space surrounding your damaged or inflamed joints. A combination of anesthetic and steroid medications relieve pain and reduce inflammation to promote healing in the joint. The primary function of a joint injection is to reduce your pain enough to help you participate in physical therapy and rehabilitation programs.
Dr. Johnson can apply steroid injections to nearly any joint in your body, including the shoulders, hips, knees, wrists, and elbows. Dr. Johnson may recommend joint injections if you have:
Arthritis is a condition that causes joint inflammation. Arthritis can result from wear-and-tear, an autoimmune disease, or infections. Joint injections reduce swelling to help restore function to your painful joints.
Gout is a form of arthritis in which urate acid crystals build inside certain joints. A gout attack develops suddenly, often in the middle of the night. Gout may cause your affected joint to become red, warm, and visibly swollen. Pain can last for days or weeks after an attack. While gout can affect any joint, it commonly affects the knees or the joint at the base of the big toe.
The bursae are fluid-filled sacs that protect the tissues that support your joints. They also provide a much-needed cushion. When your bursae become inflamed, they can limit motion in your joints. A steroid injection may help reduce discomfort and improve your range of motion.
Tendons are soft tissues that support and stabilize your joints. Repetitive movements can inflame the tendons and cause joint pain. By minimizing inflammation, joint injections allow your tendons to heal.
Joint injections typically require fluoroscopic guidance to inject the treatment into your area of pain. A fluoroscopy is a real-time X-ray that allows Dr. Johnson to precisely inject your anti-inflammatory medication. He offers localized anesthetics to reduce your pain and ensure you remain comfortable throughout treatment. The entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes.
You may feel substantial pain relief immediately after a joint injection, primarily due to the anesthetic. As the anesthetic wears off, your joint may feel sore and stiff. These side effects usually last for a few days before your anti-inflammatory corticosteroid starts to work. Over the coming weeks, you should regain range of motion in your affected joint with minimal pain.
To learn more about joint injections, call Advanced Sports Medicine today or schedule an appointment online.