Joint Injections for Pain in Austin | Greater Austin Pain Center

What Are Joint Injections and How Do They Work?

Joint injections are a non-surgical treatment option for relieving pain and inflammation in your joints. The injections can range from traditional corticosteroid injections to more innovative options, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cell injections. Based on your medical history, your Austin joint pain management specialists will determine which injection is best for you and your needs. This injection is then applied directly to the damaged joint tissue, allowing you to experience pain relief almost instantly. Free from pain, patients will improve their range of motion and therefore their ability to participate in physical therapy and movements that may have previously been too painful.

Joint Injections for Quick and Lasting Chronic Pain Relief

Joint injections are a minimally invasive procedure that can be applied to any joint, such as the ankles, hips, shoulders, knees, and wrists. If pain medication or physical therapy has proven unsuccessful in managing your joint pain or inflammation then joint injections may be a viable solution for you. Though not a permanent solution, our joint injections can bring nearly instant pain relief that can last several months or longer.

What Injections Are Available?

At Greater Austin Pain, we perform shoulder intra articular joint injections, knee intra articular joint injections, hip intra articular joint injections, and sacroiliac joint injections. We can even do wrist and/or ankle joint injections.

All the injections above can consist of steroid injections, platelet rich plasma injections or stem cell injections. Knee joint injections can also include viscosupplementation injections.

What Do Joint Injections Treat?

Joint injections have proven to be successful at providing relief from pain caused by joint inflammation. If you’re suffering from pain or inflammation in your ankles, hips, shoulders, knees, and/or wrists, you may benefit from injections to the source of the pain. These injections can also be used to treat conditions, such as arthritis and osteoarthritis, degeneration, or injury from a car accident.

For more information on how joint injections can help you specifically, contact Greater Austin Pain Center to .

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.

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The Joint Injection Process

1

Schedule an Appointment

Call Greater Austin Pain Center to request an appointment at our pain management treatment centers in Austin, Kyle, Dripping Springs, and San Marcos.

2

Initial Evaluation

During your appointment, we’ll take the time to review your medical history and learn about the treatments that were unsuccessful. This allows us to determine which injection is best suited for your needs.

3

Receive Your Joint Injection

Joint injections take less than 30 minutes to administer.

4

Short Recovery

Most patients can walk on their own immediately following treatment and are able to resume full activity shortly thereafter.

Testimonials

"Dr. Jarzembeck is AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend her for anyone suffering in pain. She goes above and beyond to make sure her patients pain has been dealt with."

Genia G.

"Everyone is so friendly and helpful, Dr. Bednar came to me and explained the procedure and answered my questions. Highly recommend!"

Maggie G.

"Dr. Julia is the best! The staff is professional and friendly to all. Best of all, Dr. Julia is finding solutions for my chronic pain! Never thought that it would be possible. It's a journey for me, but it seems like there is a solution."

Nancy M.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the side effects of epidural steroid injections?

The risk of complication from a corticosteroid injection is extremely low. Significant complications such as bleeding or infection at the injection site occur in less than one in a hundred patients. Other, more common side effect include:

Slightly numb or weak legs
Dizziness
Headaches
Localized increase in pain

These side effects typically resolve within a few hours. Please contact our office if your symptoms persist for more than 24 hours after the procedure or if you experience new or worsening symptoms.

How long does a corticosteroid injection last?

The steroid takes two to three days to start to affect most people, peaking after approximately two weeks. Consequently, it can take a while before you feel a reduction in your pain. You can expect to feel some degree of pain relief from a corticosteroid injection for about three months.

How painful is a lumbar epidural steroid injection?

Most people describe the most painful part of an ESI as a temporary stinging or burning sensation at the site of the injection. If you feel anything more than a slight pressure, an additional local anesthetic can be used.

Why would the pain be worse after an epidural steroid injection?

Although rare, some patients may experience an increase in their usual pain for several days following the procedure. This pain is generally mild and resolves itself within a few days. Epidural steroid injections are a low risk, useful, non-surgical pain relief method.

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Joint Injections for Pain in Austin, TX

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What Are Joint Injections and How Do They Work?