If you suffer from persistent joint pain despite routine traditional treatment methods, it may be time for you to consider other options. Joint injections are minimally-invasive and can provide substantial pain relief for many patients.
Here, we’ll discuss joint injections and whether or not you should consider this treatment option.
What are Joint Injections?
Joint injections generally refer to corticosteroid injections. With this treatment, a solution containing a corticosteroid and an anesthetic is injected into the painful joint. The corticosteroid works to reduce inflammation, which can relieve pain and stiffness.
Unfortunately, joint injections aren’t a permanent solution to joint pain. Doctors typically recommend that patients receive a maximum of three to four injections per year to prevent damage to the joint cartilage. Additionally, steroid injections can suppress the immune system and pose adverse health effects, if the injections are used in excess.
Good Candidates for Joint Injections
For patients who have pain caused by inflammation of a joint, they may find that steroid injections are helpful. Steroid injections can help patients return to their normal daily activities without constantly suffering from debilitating joint pain. However, patients shouldn’t undergo joint injections without first trying traditional treatment methods, including rest, physical therapy, and oral anti-inflammatory medications.
Corticosteroid Injection Alternatives
Patients who are interested in regenerative medicine may want to consider stem cell and/ or PRP injections instead of conventional steroid injections. Regenerative injections are derived from the patient’s own blood or stem cells, and they are directed at the damaged tissue. Over time, after the injection is administered, the stem cells or platelets work to regenerate the affected tissue, leading to long-lasting symptom relief. Unlike steroid injections, regenerative injections support your body’s natural healing process.
To learn more about the benefits of regenerative treatments for your persistent joint pain, schedule a free consultation at the Regenerative Orthopedic Institute today.