Joint pain injections are used by sports medicine specialists to help relieve patients’ pain and help improve their daily function. When you are in pain, movement becomes difficult, and this is hard to accept, whether or not you are an athlete.
Joint pain strikes not only athletes but also the elderly, who often suffer from arthritis-related joint pain. All in all, the problem is common, however, you should know that there are treatments that are effective in relieving joint pain. One often-used treatment is injections.
There are different types of joint pain injections, such as corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injections, platelet-rich plasma therapy, and prolozone therapy. In this article, we will talk about the different types of injections for joint pain and how they can benefit you.
Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroid injections contain a synthetic version of a hormone produced by the body – cortisone – that can help reduce joint inflammation. Cortisone injections are often used to treat patients with injured tendons, inflamed bursae, as well as arthritis of the shoulder, spine, hand, hip, and knee. Corticosteroid injections can provide immediate relief from joint pain due to the anesthetic that is injected alongside the cortisone.
Viscosupplementation
Hyaluronic acid is what keeps joints lubricated. Viscosupplementation is an FDA-approved treatment for arthritic knees. Synovial fluid, which keeps the joint lubricated, is usually affected by arthritis, and as a result, joint movement is rough and painful because of friction.
Viscosupplementation is one way to keep the knee joint lubricated, so movement is smooth, and the joint benefits from the cushioning effects of the fluid.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
PRP injections involve using a patient’s own blood to create a highly concentrated platelet-rich plasma, which is injected into the joint. Platelets contain growth factors and cytokines that are critical for healing. Whatever condition is causing joint pain and inflammation, PRP injections jumpstart the healing process and give it a boost.
Prolozone Therapy
Prolozone therapy is a type of injection therapy that uses the power of ozone to heal damaged tissue. These injections provide oxygen, which is critical to healing, and prevent the accumulation of lactic acid, which can cause pain. Prolozone therapy is usually delivered after an injection of nutrients into the area, which altogether reduces pain-causing inflammation.
Prolozone therapy is often used in the treatment of arthritis of the hip, knee, ankle, hand, and wrist, and can do wonders for the pain and stiffness that characterize the disease. It is also beneficial for patients with sports injuries, like Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.
Joint Injections in Dallas, TX
The highly skilled sports medicine specialists at Reagan Integrated Sports Medicine use different joint injections to give our patients relief from their symptoms. We use injections for joint pain for patients who are injured and those suffering from inflammatory and degenerative conditions like arthritis. We can determine which type of injection therapy is right for you and recommend other therapeutic interventions for lasting relief from pain.
We have a caring staff at Reagan Integrated Sports Medicine, some of whom are athletes themselves, and we are empathetic, compassionate, and driven to give you the best outcome. To schedule an appointment with us, call us today at (972) 503-7272 or use our convenient online request form.