Knee Injections

Osteoarthritis is inflammation of the joint caused by wearing away of the smooth surfaces on the ends of bones. When cartilage softens or starts to thin, there is more stress transferred to the underlying bone. The cartilage may also become brittle, resulting in fissures and cracks. As friction builds up, some small pieces of cartilage may flake off the surface and float in the knee. This causes a reaction and the joint may swell and become warm. All of these lead to pain and inflammation.

For osteoarthritis flare-ups, when your knee pain and swelling is worse than usual, a steroid injection can help. An anti-inflammatory medication (corticosteroid) is injected near the source of your pain to provide rapid relief, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Steroid injections do not contain pain medication, although patients may experience less pain as the inflammation resolves.

Steroid injections can be administered in the office during your appointment. You can return to normal activities immediately, although you may experience mild pain at the injection site.

Some common names for corticosteroids used to inject arthritic joints are dexamethasone, methylprednisolone and triamcinolone. The relief from these medications may last for several months depending on several factors including the current severity of your arthritis. The types of steroid injections utilized at Knee MD Sports Medicine are designed to stay in your joint for a longer time to provide an extended reduction in your inflammatory symptoms and reduce unwanted systemic effects, such as weight gain, osteoporosis, skin atrophy, insomnia, and changes in blood sugar. They are also FDA approved and are produced by reputable pharmaceutical companies.

Effects of Corticosteroid Injections

The occurrence of rare side effects may increase as a result of receiving too many steroid injections too frequently. These include osteoporosis (thinning of nearby bone), infection, and avascular necrosis, which is caused by changes in the blood flow to a part of the bone that causes it to collapse.”

A transient elevation in blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes may occur after receiving a steroid injection.  This may last a few days to over a week.  Diabetic patients should monitor their blood glucose levels after the injection and my have to work with their diabetes doctor in adjusting the medications prescribed for their treatment during this time.  Patients with poor control of their diabetes are not good candidates for steroid injections.

Infrequently, post-injection flares may occur within 24 hours after receiving a joint injection.  This is because the medication may irritate the joint lining similar to gout.  These flares are short lived. Simple treatments with ice and OTC medication helps.

Trust in Knee MD Sports Medicine.

Our experts are well trained and take all precautions to prevent any side effects.  Also, we are have providers that can manage any side effect or complication that may occur as a result of treatment.

Bilateral Knee Injections

Patients can safely get multiple injections at the same time.  The advantages and disadvantages of injecting both knees are fairly evident.  Patients at Knee MD Sports Medicine considering bilateral joint injections are carefully evaluated.  If both knees are symptomatic and you are interested in injecting both knees, our expert provider will guide you through the best solution for you.

You are ready to take the next step!  Call for an appointment today.

Many patients feel extremely better after an OA medication injection. To further improve overall function and maximize the response to treatment, the patient receiving an injection should still receive physical therapy, supportive bracing and oral or topical medication.

At Knee MD & Sports Medicine, we have long-term solutions to treat this chronic condition of arthritis.  Our program is tailored to meet the needs of your individual situation and preferences. Ongoing nonsurgical management of knee OA will help you maintain an active lifestyle and do the things you want to do.  When providing effective relief, receiving another episode of care every three to six months may delay the need for surgical intervention.

Injections are well tolerated and side effects are usually mild.

These injections are used as part of a comprehensive pharmacological OA treatment plan.

If an intra-articular joint injection is recommended for you, you will be placed on a safe and effective treatment regimen suited to your individual needs and condition.

Joint lubrication injections, or viscosupplementation therapy, are used to treat knee osteoarthritis. It is useful for people who are trying to delay or are not candidates for knee replacement surgery.

Osteoarthritis is a common type of arthritis that causes bone degeneration and synovial fluid reduction. Synovial fluid acts as a shock absorber and lubricant in the knee joint. Arthritis and a decrease in synovial fluid can cause knee pain, stiffness, and problems with walking, stair climbing, and many other activities. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is used to supplement the synovial fluid.

The joint lubrication injection procedure is performed safely and quickly in the office. Your doctor will inject HA into your knee joint. You will receive a series of three to five injections at one injection per week. The extent of pain relief varies from patient to patient. For most patients, osteoarthritis pain relief can be sustained for 6-12 months.

Ultrasound-Guided Injections are a non-surgical treatment option f”>arthritis joint pain and pain radiating into the legs. The procedure involves delivering pain-relieving medications under ultrasound guidance directly to or near the source of the pain.

The medicine can be very effective for some people and may be repeated over time. For patients who cannot participate in physical therapy because of their pain, ultrasound-guided injections can help.
Ultrasound-guided injections are short outpatient procedures that can be given at a surgery center, hospital, or in the office. Your doctor will use a live ultrasound image to carefully insert and guide the needle to the source of your pain and inject the medication.

You will be sent home after the procedure with instructions on how to relieve temporary mild pain at the injection site. Most people resume their regular activities the next day.