Relief for Painful Joints
Do you suffer from joint pain? A steroid injection might offer the relief you need to get more enjoyment out of life. This treatment involves injection of a synthetic drug that is similar to cortisol, a hormone produced in the adrenal glands.
What Conditions Are Treated With Steroid Injections?
Steroid injections decrease joint inflammation, slowing the immune system’s response to degenerative joints. Less inflammation in a joint results in less pain. Steroid injections may treat a wide range of conditions, including:
Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Gout
Inflamed tendons of the wrist, shoulder, knee, elbow, or hand
How Long Does a Steroid Injection Last for Joint Pain?
The duration of pain relief is variable and depends on the severity of joint degeneration. If a patient is not receiving steroids from other sources, it is safe to repeat steroid injections into the joint every three months. If relief lasts significantly less than three months, our clinic offers alternative treatment options, including viscosupplementation and ablation procedures.
How Long Does it Take for the Steroid Injection to Work?
Corticosteroids treatment will take three to seven days to begin providing noticeable pain relief. Many people with chronic joint pain find that these targeted therapeutic injections offer longer-lasting relief than using oral anti-inflammatory medications alone.
How to Prepare for a Steroid Injection for Joint Pain
Before the injection, your doctor will review your medical history and previous imaging to know the proper location for the joint injection. You can also tell the healthcare professional your prescriptions, herbal treatments, and over-the-counter drugs recently administered. It is also recommended to have a list of your medical conditions, allergies, and prior treatment.
Generally, you should be ready to answer questions about your medical history. Additionally, you need to ask any questions you may have regarding the injections and the possible risks. Steroid injections are outpatient procedures and therefore can often be done on the day of your clinic appointment.
During and After Your Steroid Injection
Corticosteroid injections have very few potential side effects and are generally accepted as a safe treatment option for joint pain. Possible risks include bleeding and tendon or nerve damage. In extremely rare circumstances, a patient may experience allergic reactions to the local anesthetic added to the joint injection. Patients with diabetes may have 1-2 weeks of elevated blood sugar levels.
According to the standard practice, patients should only receive four steroid injections per year into a single joint.
After the treatment, you need to keep up with all follow-up visits and contact the doctor if you experience any problems.
The pain relief experts at Mays and Schnapp have been offering effective pain treatment in the Memphis area for decades. If you’re dealing with chronic pain from any of the above conditions, intra-articular steroid injections might just be the treatment you’ve been looking for. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a consultation.