Joint Injections Specialists

What is the purpose of a joint injection?

Joint injections are used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain caused by an injury or inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout.

The benefit of a joint injection is that the medication goes directly to the damaged area. When medications are injected into a muscle, they circulate through your body before reaching the joint. As a result, it takes longer to get relief and you have a higher chance of side effects.

Which joints can be injected?

Knees and shoulders are two joints commonly injected, but ankles, elbows, wrists, hips and any other joint in the body can be treated with an injection. More than one joint may be treated at the same visit, depending on the location and severity of the problem.

What medications are injected into joints?

Three types of medications are used in joint injections:

Anti-inflammatory medications: Corticosteroids such as cortisone are effective anti-inflammatory agents used in joint injections. As they reduce inflammation, your pain diminishes and you have better mobility. Some patients get relief for many months after an injection, while the effect lasts a few days for others, depending on the extent of the inflammation and their overall health.

Local anesthetics: Lidocaine and other similar anesthetics may be used topically to numb the injection site. However, they’re also injected into the joint, either alone or mixed with cortisone. You get immediate pain relief following a joint injection with anesthetics.

Joint lubricants: Lubricants made from hyaluronic acid are used for patients with knee osteoarthritis. When hyaluronic acid is injected into the joint, the gel-like fluid creates a cushion, which help the bones move smoothly and relieves pain. After a series of injections, joint lubricants typically work for at least six months, but results vary among patients.

What can I expect during and after a joint injection?

A local anesthetic keeps you comfortable during the injection. Cortisone injections may cause discomfort in some patients, but it subsides in about 24 hours. Hyaluronic acid injections sometimes cause temporary pain and redness at the injection site or a buildup of fluid in the joint.