20 December 2010
In some cases, a patient may present with inflammation and pain in the affected joint, and the treating physician may decide that a joint injection would be beneficial and efficacious in relieving the patient’s pain. Joint injections can be used for pain palliation of chronic pain conditions like arthritis, or can be used for joint pain that is acute, and has been caused by injury.
Bursitis is a fairly common inflammatory condition, and can be treated by use of joint injections. Bursitis is a condition of the joint that causes swelling and inflammation and may cause limited mobility and limited range of motion. Caused specifically by the inflamed bursa, bursitis can affect the knee, hip, elbow, and other joints. Joint injections can help alleviate some of the pain associated with bursitis and help the patient regain some flexibility, range of motion and mobility.
Joint injections generally are prescribed after a patient has failed to gain pain relief from other conservative methods such as over the counter medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
The medication used for the joint injection will be a corticosteroid, a compound that works actively to reduce the inflammation of the affected joint and aid in the alleviation of pain. Regardless of the area to be treated, the procedure is similar. The area will be prepped and sterilized, and then the skin will be numbed for patient comfort. The needle of the corticosteroid injection will be placed into the painful joint, and x-ray guidance may be utilized to ensure proper placement of the needle and injection. Once it is determined that the needle has been properly placed, the medication will be injected into the painful joint.
After you receive a joint injection, you may experience some tenderness, aching and pain at the site of the injection. This is to be expected, as the injection has gone into a previously painful area. If the pain of the injection site is particularly uncomfortable, it is recommended to ice the area and to take over the counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin. When icing any area, take care to place a layer of fabric between your skin and the ice source, and to never leave the ice on for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Raj, (2008) Raj’s Practical Management of Pain.415. (Benzon, Rathmell, Wu, Turk, Argoff Eds.)Philadelphia: Mosby Elsevier
