Joint Injection Specialist

What is a joint injection?

A joint injection is a treatment that delivers a local anesthetic and a corticosteroid into a joint to ease pain and reduce inflammation. Doctors United provides joint injections at the office to reduce various types of joint pain and inflammation.

Am I a candidate for a joint injection?

Your provider at Doctors United determines if you’re a candidate for a joint injection after a consultation. A joint injection is a minimally invasive treatment, and they may only recommend it if conservative medical interventions, such as anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy, fail to ease your joint pain. 

You can get a joint injection into almost any joint in your body. Your provider at Doctors United may recommend a joint injection to ease your back pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain or as a treatment for tendinitis or arthritis. 

How do I prepare for a joint injection?

Your provider at Doctors United gives you specific instructions on what steps you need to take to prepare for your joint injection. For example, they may suggest you stop taking any blood-thinning medications or supplements prior to your treatment to reduce the risk of bleeding.

They also recommend you wear comfortable clothing to the appointment and keep all valuables at home. They may also suggest you arrange to have someone drive you home after your injection. 

What happens during a joint injection?

Doctors United provides joint injections at the office. You may first change into an exam gown. Then, your provider cleans the skin around the area of your painful joint with an antibacterial agent and may apply a local anesthetic cream to numb the area.

Your provider then places the needle into the joint and administers the medication. You may feel some pressure during the injection, but no pain. If you feel any pain, let your provider know right away. 

Your provider sends you home after your joint injection. Most patients can resume their usual activities after treatment. 

What can I expect after a joint injection?

Though you may feel pain relief immediately following a joint injection, it’s not unusual to have an increase in pain and inflammation for up to two days after the shot.

Once the inflammation subsides, you should experience improvements in your joint pain. Pain relief may last days, weeks, or months. 

If you have pain relief following a joint injection, your provider at Doctors United may recommend repeating the treatment for continued relief. You can get up to four joint injections a year.

To learn more about how a joint injection can help your pain, call Doctors United or schedule an appointment online today.