Alleviate Joint Pain with Joint Injections

Joint pain can restrict your mobility and prevent you from effectively carrying out your daily activities. Anti-inflammatory medications may help relieve the pain, but in some cases, they may not. Your doctor may recommend joint injections. Pacific Sports & Spine offers joint injections in Eugene to relieve your pain and discomfort.

What are joint injections?

Joint injections are a slightly invasive treatment procedure that momentarily relieves pain and discomfort resulting from joint inflammation. The pain management experts at Pacific Sports & Spine inject an anesthetic and a steroid into your joint to relieve your pain during the procedure. Your provider may also use this procedure to determine if your pain is from joint inflammation. Joint injections can provide relief for days or years while you take part in an exercise program and physical therapy to improve your condition.

What are the different types of joint injections?

The pain management specialists at Pacific Sports and Spine offer several joint injections for relieving joint pain, including:

• Facet joint injections

Facet joints are located on your back and neck to provide stability and study support to your spine. Injury or degenerative conditions like arthritis may result in joint inflammation and excruciating pain within your facet joints. Your doctor administers facet joint injections to numb your facet joint and alleviates your back and neck pain.

• Sacroiliac joint injections

A sacroiliac joint connects your lower spine to your pelvis. You may experience pain and inflammation in this joint due to degenerative diseases or an injury. Your doctor may recommend sacroiliac joint injections to diagnose and relieve lower back pain.

• Knee steroid injection

Knee steroid injections relieve knee pain resulting from arthritis. The injection contains cortisone that eliminates pain and inflammation.

• Hip joint injections

Your hip joint is vulnerable to injuries, mechanical stress, and diseases like arthritis which may cause pain and inflammation. The pain radiates to your lower back, buttock, hip, and leg. Your provider may recommend a hip joint injection to diagnose the cause of your pain and treat it.

What should you expect during joint injections?

Joint injection procedures usually take up to one hour. During the treatment, your doctor administers a local anesthetic to the target area to prevent you from feeling pain during a joint injection. Your provider injects a contrast agent into your joint to improve visibility using live X-ray-guided imaging. Afterward, the team injects the anesthetic and corticosteroid into the affected joint. After the procedure, the team may request you to remain at the hospital for a short while for close monitoring. The team also recommends that you have someone to take you home after your treatment.

How long does it take to experience pain relief?

Your pain should improve within a week after your treatment. If the joint injections succeed, the team may administer another shot for recurrent pain.

If joint pain is making it difficult for you to enjoy your life, call the Pacific Sports & Spine office or book your spot online to begin your journey to wellness.