Joint Injections

What are joint injections?

Joint injections may contain steroids to reduce inflammation, an anesthetic to relieve discomfort, or stem cells or platelets from your own blood to speed up healing and cell regeneration naturally. Hyaluronic acid joint injections help lubricate your joints. 

Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine offers joint injections for your shoulders, hips, knees, and other painful joints.

Your joints are made up of muscles, bones, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments that connect two bones. You might experience joint pain because of arthritis, age-related wear, a sports or work injury, falling down, or other injuries. 

Risk factors for joint pain include being overweight, poor nutritional habits, lack of proper physical training, and poor strength or flexibility. 

What are the benefits of joint injections?

When choosing joint injections at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, you can expect the following benefits:

• Less pain and swelling
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved range of motion
• Easier mobility
• Faster healing
• No downtime
• Improvements in your quality of life

Joint injections are highly effective and may reduce the need for pain medication or invasive surgery.

Are joint injections right for me?

The Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team discusses your symptoms and medical history with you to determine if you’re a candidate for joint injections. 

They also check your vital signs, complete a physical exam, and may order blood tests and imaging procedures (X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, etc.) to make a final diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.

What should I expect during joint injections?

If you’re a candidate for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, your provider first takes a sample of your blood and spins it in a centrifuge to extract a concentrated source of platelets before injecting PRP into your joints.

During joint injections, your Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine specialist numbs the treatment area to reduce the risk of discomfort. 

You then lie down on an X-ray table. Using X-ray guidance, the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team injects substances into your joints or surrounding tissues. The procedure usually takes about 10-20 minutes.

What happens after the procedure?

After joint injections, you might experience mild soreness at the treatment area for a few days. Apply ice to it or take over-the-counter medicines as directed by your specialist. You can expect less pain after receiving the injections, and the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team lets you know when to schedule your next joint injections if necessary.

To learn more about joint injections at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and find out if they’re right for you, call the nearest office or book an appointment online today.