3 Types of Injections That Help Ease Joint Pain

If you are among the adults struggling with joints, you can relate to how debilitating it is. It can stop you from doing your daily chores and even staying active. However, there is one thing you might not know, your doctor can treat you with more than surgery or pills. Depending on how severe the pain is, joint injections in Oakhurst can be another option for reducing your joint pain. These injections are used to reduce inflammation. Different injectable options can aid in treating joint pain in the body.

Injections that can ease joint pain

1.     Corticosteroid injection

Corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation that could be causing pain in the joints. Corticosteroids can give months to years of pain relief if used properly. These shots can permanently cure diseases when tissue inflammation is in a small area, such as tendinitis and bursitis.

2.     Hyaluronic acid injections

 Hyaluronic acid injections are used if corticosteroid injections do not work. They are approved for use in the knee. In some cases, doctors consider hyaluronic acid injections first if you don’t have visible signs of inflammation.

HA injections are also favorable to people with diabetes, as corticosteroid injections can raise blood sugar levels. HA injections are also known as gel injections, and they are similar to natural joint fluid.

If you have osteoarthritis, joint fluid can become watery, and this injection restores the natural properties of the fluid and acts as a shock absorber and a lubricant. HA acts as a cushion against inflammation cells in the joint. It also helps ease pain by coating nerve endings. A single treatment involves one to three injections, normally offering relief for five months and sometimes up to a year.

3.     Platelet-rich plasma injections (PRP)

PRP injections treat osteoarthritis joint pain, and research is still ongoing to understand their effects. These injections use your platelets and blood to accelerate healing. Platelets have proteins and growth factors that help healing in soft tissues. Research has proven that PRP injections can modify the immune response to help ease inflammation.

Side effects of PRP injections include a low risk of pain at the injection site. You are forced to stop taking oral anti-inflammation medications for a short time when you get a PRP injection. Usually, these injections reduce or stop your joint pain, but you should remember that they cannot stop the pain from returning. They are more effective if used with other therapies.

Surgical options and stronger medications are considered only if other options have failed. Weight loss, bracing, and physical therapy go a long way to relieving pain.

Not all injections are right for a patient. Your doctor will take some time to understand your health issues and determine an injectable plan that will work with your entire joint care path. You can notice immediate pain relief when you receive a joint injection, or it can take up to several weeks for the results to be effective. You might need more injections, depending on your condition. If you have disturbing joint pain, contact Kai Sports Medicine LLC to learn more about different joint pain injections.