What to Expect From Joint Injections
Meeting Your Needs
When you make an appointment with Greater Austin Pain Center, our pain management doctors take great care to learn more about you and your history with pain. Based on this information, we’ll determine whether you may be an ideal candidate for joint injections and determine which injection option is right for you.
Patients can expect their joint injection appointment to last about 30 minutes. During your appointment, the site of the injection will be cleaned prior to administering the injection. While most patients do not require an anesthetic, sedation is available for those that need it.
Side effects may include headaches, soreness, and swelling. Most patients are able to quickly resume their normal activities without restriction.
Types of Joint Injections
Corticosteroid Injections
Often the first line of defense against joint pain, corticosteroid injections provide pain relief by reducing inflammatory cell activity. Joint pain relief can last for 2-3 months with steroid injections.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
PRP injections treat joint pain by using the patient’s own blood and platelets to promote healing. Platelets contain proteins that can aid with healing soft tissues, therefore altering the immune response and reducing inflammation in the joints.
Stem Cell Injections
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the unique potential of regeneration and differentiation into different types of cells. Stem cell injections can be created using adult stem cells that have been extracted from the patient’s bone marrow or from donor tissues. The cells are concentrated and then injected into the joint to provide relief from pain.
Viscosupplementation Injections
Viscosupplementation treatments use hyaluronic acid to reduce pain and swelling in your arthritic joints, most commonly in the knee. The hyaluronic acid works as a lubricant that allows your cartilage to move smoothly and absorb shocks. Osteoarthritis is when that cartilage starts to break down, often simply from normal wear and tear. That wear and tear means less hyaluronic acid, causing your joints to scrape together, leading to friction, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Our Viscosupplementation Injections can help your joints move freely again and improve your health and wellbeing.