Nearly one in four American adults has osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease that breaks down the cartilage that cushions joints. Arthritis can cause debilitating pain, stiffness, and swelling — finding an effective treatment is essential.
While several treatments are available, joint injections are consistently one of the most popular choices among patients and their doctors because they effectively relieve some of the worst symptoms of arthritis. Our team at Medical Associates Of North Texas specializes in corticosteroid injections in Fort Worth, Texas. We’re here to help you decide if it’s time to consider joint injections for yourself.
First, let’s take a closer look at joint injections and how they work. Joint injections contain a corticosteroid, which is a prescription-strength steroid. We inject the medication directly into your arthritic joint to fight inflammation and deliver long-lasting pain relief.
Corticosteroid injections could be a good option for you if:
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition. It starts with mild joint pain, but it can worsen over time. Joint injections may be an option if you’re experiencing moderate to severe joint pain that affects your daily activities.
Joint injections can provide significant pain relief and make it easier to perform daily tasks, like walking, climbing stairs, and getting out of a chair.
A few of the most common treatments for arthritis are over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications. But joint injections may be the next step if your symptoms don’t improve with these treatments.
Because we administer the corticosteroid directly into your painful joint, treatment can deliver more targeted and longer-lasting pain relief.
Oral pain medication is an effective option to manage arthritis pain, but some people can’t take these medications due to stomach or kidney problems. Injections deliver medication directly to your joint, bypassing your digestive system and reducing your risk of side effects.
In severe cases, surgery might be necessary to treat joint damage from osteoarthritis. However, joint injections can effectively delay or avoid surgery because treatment offers long-lasting pain relief.
Before getting joint injections, you should discuss the potential risks and benefits to your doctor. We can help you determine whether joint injections are right for you based on your individual circumstances and medical history.
Joint injections are safe for most people, and each injection takes a few minutes in the office. We apply a topical anesthetic, insert the needle, and inject the corticosteroid.
You can expect to notice pain relief shortly after treatment; the effects typically last for several weeks to several months. It’s important to note that joint injections are not a cure for osteoarthritis but can temporarily relieve pain and inflammation.
If you haven’t found an arthritis treatment that’s effective enough for your symptoms, it might be time to consider joint injections. Schedule a consultation with our team at Medical Associates Of North Texas at 972-433-7178, or send us a message online to learn more.
