Procedure - Joint Injections

Joints are an important part of the body where the bones connect. Joints allow you to move and flex different parts of your body. Injuries and disease can affect a joint’s ability to move, as well as cause pain and inflammation. Common joints affected by these conditions are the hips, knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, and shoulders. When joint pain or arthritis can no longer be managed with over-the-counter medication or physical therapy, it may be time to consider joint injections at Ogden Clinic in Utah.

How It Works

Joint injections usually contain a steroid, or other form of medication, combined with a local anesthetic. The local anesthetic works to dull immediate pain, while the steroid provides long-term pain relief, decreases swelling, and suppresses inflammation. Joint injections are not only useful for managing pain from a condition like arthritis, they can also be used as a diagnostic test to determine the source of pain and whether it’s coming from the joint. Sometimes during this procedure, your doctor will use a fluoroscopy, or continuous X-ray, to monitor the placement of the needle to ensure accurate delivery to the joint area.

Joint injections are a helpful form of pain management for several conditions including:

• Arthritis
• Tendinitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Bursitis
• Gout

Joint injection procedures last less than an hour. Your doctor will prepare you for the procedure, perform the injections, and oversee recovery to observe any changes. Joint injections last several months and are administered a few times a year. Following your injections, you won’t immediately feel pain due to a local anesthetic. The steroid may take a couple days to kick in, so pain during this time is normal. While joint injections are helpful in reducing pain and inflammation, they are not a cure for the underlying condition. It is important to continue physical therapy during these windows of pain relief to strengthen the muscles and joints.

One popular type of joint injection is cortisone shots. These injections can help relieve pain, inflammation, redness, and itching in various joints throughout the body including the ankle, knee, and spine. Cortisone shots contain a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic.

Dealing the aching pain and swelling joints of a condition like arthritis can make day-to-day activities troublesome. If you would like to learn more about joint injections at Ogden Clinic, contact one of our Utah offices today.