Joint Injections

When your joints are painful, it’s difficult to finish daily tasks and nearly impossible to perform at your athletic peak. Benjamin Petty, MD, a double-board-certified physician and sports medicine specialist in Dunn, North Carolina, restores mobility and alleviates pain and inflammation with in-office joint injections. To find out if you’re a candidate for joint injections, phone Dr. Petty’s friendly team or contact him via the online appointment form.

What are joint injections?

Joint injections are a minimally invasive procedure that involves delivering medications directly into inflamed and painful tissues in and around your joint. Dr. Petty makes the injection into the joint itself, into the surrounding bursa, or into afflicted tendons or nerves.

When should I get joint injections?

If you have painful, stiff, or swollen joints that haven’t responded to conservative measures such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation (the so-called RICE protocol) or physical therapy, you may benefit from joint injections. Dr. Petty uses joint injections to treat:

• Bursitis
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Gout
• Back pain and sciatica
• Other painful joint conditions

In some cases, he may inject the roots of inflamed nerves that cause your pain, a procedure known as a root block injection. Most joint injections can be performed in just a few minutes. 

If Dr. Petty needs to make an injection into your spinal cord or into a nerve root, however, he may use ultrasound guidance to ensure the accuracy of therapy.

What kinds of medications are in joint injections?

Dr. Petty chooses the types of medications in your joint injections based on your symptoms and the type of damage in your joint. Most medications offer immediate relief, while others also provide continuous relief through a slow-release mechanism. 

Common types of medications that Dr. Petty may use to relieve your pain and stiffness include:

• Methylprednisolone
• Triamcinolone 
• Other steroids
• Hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation)
• Lidocaine

Dr. Petty may use lidocaine injections as a diagnostic tool, too. By numbing a nerve with lidocaine, he determines whether that nerve is the source of your pain and whether it requires further treatment.

What are the side effects of joint injections?

Joint injections are a minimally invasive procedure that has few side effects. You may experience some soreness or swelling at the injection site, but these should subside within hours to days, especially if you ice the treatment area with a wrapped ice pack for no more than 20 minutes per hour. You should be able to return to work and most activities by the next day.

To get relief from painful, stiff joints or the chronic pain of backaches and sciatica, contact Dr. Petty about joint injections. Use the online form or call the friendly office staff.