Intra-Articular Peripheral Joint Injection Specialist Q&A

Peripheral joint injections are often employed to alleviate pain and inflammation, enhancing the mobility of joints. Rather than resorting to oral medication, your physician can administer medication directly to the problematic area, providing pain control.

For patients, joint injections can serve as an alternative option, particularly when surgery remains the sole alternative for pain relief. Additionally, injections offer a means of relief for those unable to consider surgery due to health constraints or other reasons. Peripheral joints encompass the joints in your arms and legs.

Conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis can contribute to pain in these peripheral joints. Peripheral joint injections are performed as outpatient procedures, aiming to alleviate hip, leg, or buttock pain stemming from arthritis or other hip joint issues. These injections serve the dual purpose of diagnosing and treating joint pain and inflammation, ultimately enhancing mobility.

Intra-articular injections are directly delivered into the joint. These injections use steroids to reduce the inflammatory response associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The specific injection site varies based on individual patient conditions. While intra-articular injections are commonly used to address osteoarthritis in the hip or knee, they can also be administered in various other joints, including the shoulders, wrists, hands, and more.

Intra-articular injections play a role in alleviating joint discomfort and stiffness by directly administering medication to the joint, thus minimizing the potential for systemic side effects. These injections can be a key component of a treatment plan; however, they shouldn’t serve as the sole approach for addressing osteoarthritis or other joint conditions. The effectiveness of many of these medications tends to diminish over time.

There is a concern that repetitive injections could potentially harm the cartilage within the joint. As a result, medical professionals generally impose limitations on the frequency of intra-articular injections into a joint. Generally, it’s advisable not to undergo intra-articular injections more frequently than every six weeks, and typically, the frequency should not exceed three or four times a year.

Intra-articular steroid injections can provide notable and relatively long-lasting relief for a wide range of patients’ conditions. Throughout the procedure, immediate relief can often be observed, particularly when it aids in facilitating physical therapy.

The effectiveness of joint injections can span from a few weeks to as long as 6 months, or even beyond. A single treatment might involve one or multiple injections, spaced over several weeks. If necessary, your doctor might recommend repeat treatments.

Each patient will respond differently, and intra-articular injections will work better for some patients than others. For this reason, patient responses will be carefully monitored by the experts at Global Neuro & Spine Institute to develop a tailored treatment plan. If your pain has not shown improvement with conservative measures such as pain relievers, oral anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy, your healthcare provider may discuss the option of a joint injection with you.

Injections containing cortisone or other steroids typically produce rapid results, swiftly alleviating pain, swelling, and inflammation soon after administration. However, in certain cases, it might require several days or even weeks for individuals to experience relief.

Medical professionals typically administer these injections during an office visit, directing them directly to the affected joint or area, or sometimes into a larger muscle to facilitate absorption into the bloodstream. In certain instances, the injection might include a local anesthetic which will provide some immediate pain relief.

The duration for these injections to take effect can vary from person to person. While your symptoms such as pain and inflammation might not immediately subside, the onset of relief should generally occur within a week.

Intra-articular injections play a role in alleviating joint discomfort and stiffness by directly administering medication to the joint, thus minimizing the potential for side effects. Intra-articular peripheral joint injections are available at Global Neuro & Spine Institute. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We serve patients from Orlando FL, Conway FL, Edgewood FL, Jensen Beach FL, Ocean Breeze FL, Rio FL, Malabar Palm Bay FL, Melbourne FL, Atlantis FL, Palm Springs FL, Boynton Beach FL, Fort Pierce FL, White City FL, St Lucie FL, Plantation FL, Pine Island Ridge FL, Lauderhill FL, Winter Park FL, Bertha FL, Alafaya FL and surrounding areas. We also encourage our patients to visit us online to learn more about our locations and directions to our clinics.