Joint Injection

What are joint injections?

Joint injections are minimally invasive treatments that alleviate pain. At Delmarva Pain and Spine Center, Dr. Patel offers a variety of joint injections, including:

Steroid injections

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatories. Dr. Patel can inject a steroid into a swollen and painful joint to deliver medication directly to the painful tissue. As the swelling subsides, your pain should also lessen. 

Hyaluronic acid injections

If you have osteoarthritis-related joint pain, Dr. Patel might recommend a hyaluronic acid injection. Hyaluronic acid can add lubrication to arthritic joints that don’t have enough cartilage to protect the bones. The hyaluronic acid coats joints, including your bones, connective tissue, and nerves, reducing friction, inflammation, and pain.

Regenerative medicine injections

Dr. Patel also offers regenerative medicine injections, including stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. Both stem cells and PRP stimulate your body’s natural ability to repair damaged tissue, which can provide long-term pain relief. 

Joint aspiration

Joint aspiration can be helpful if you have a swollen joint. It removes the excess fluid surrounding your joint. Dr. Patel may perform joint aspiration before delivering another type of joint injection. 

Am I a good candidate for joint injections?

Dr. Patel provides thorough exams before recommending any treatment, including joint injections. She offers joint injections for a wide range of injuries and degenerative conditions. Some of the conditions that might benefit from a joint injection include:

• Arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Ligament injuries
• Sprains
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Labral tears

Joint injections are also helpful for back and neck issues, as your spine consists of 33 vertebrae and joints. 

What happens during a joint injection?

When you have a joint injection, Dr. Patel prepares by cleaning your skin and providing a local anesthetic. Depending on the location of your injection, she might use fluoroscopy to guide the needle to the right spot in your joint. 

When the needle is in the correct place, she injects the medicine and removes the needle. Dr. Patel can treat several joints, if necessary.

What should I expect after a joint injection?

You should be able to get up and walk around as soon as your procedure is complete. Most patients can get back to their regular activities the next day, and you should notice that your pain subsides over the next few days. A joint injection should provide enough relief to allow you to have physical therapy.

Call Delmarva Pain and Spine Center or make an appointment online today if joint pain is getting in the way of your life.