Injections That Can Help Your Joints

Joint pain is often one of the most common conditions among adults. The most severe form of joint pain can keep people from staying active, making simple tasks such as walking, chores, and making dinner seem almost impossible. Most often, people with joint pain get prescribed medication for relieving the pain or have to go to a surgeon to fix the problem potentially. But there are more options out there, and joint pain can be treated with injections. Injections provide another alternative that can reduce the inflammation in the joints, and over several months, help relieve pain over time.

There are several types of injections people can have to treat joint pain, and for treating joints, it’s best first to consult your orthopaedist to assess your individual needs. Some of the types of injections that people can get for their joint pain include:

Corticosteriod Injections

Corticosteroid injections, also known as cortisone shots, are the most common form of injection for the joints. The injection is a mixture of corticosteroid, a steroid hormone that’s often found naturally produced within the body to suppress inflammation and retain salt within the body. For people who are unable to provide enough corticosteroid, synthetic cortisone combined with local anesthetics can be used as an injection, primarily for the joints. Corticosteroid injections help defend against osteoarthritis symptoms, and while these injections work mostly as a form of relief.

Hyaluronic Acid Injections

As another type of injection that treats osteoarthritis, the component of the injection, hyaluronic acid, is another compound that’s naturally found in the joints. It acts as a lubricant and shock absorbent, and the substance is most often found in the skin, eyes, and other connective tissues. Many people find uses for the substance with serum treatments and eye droplets. For those with diabetes, hyaluronic acid injections are typically the better option, because corticosteroids can raise blood sugar levels. These also last longer, up to five months between the course of at most three injections.

Platelet-rich Plasma Injections

By using the person’s blood and platelets, the PRP injection can promote natural healing. Doctors and clinical researchers have begun using PRP to replenish proteins and water and act as an essential part of the healing process. PRP injections are aimed at the tendons and joints to improve musculoskeletal problems and work by stimulating the immune system to encourage healing. However, the person who has these injections will need to stop oral anti-inflammatory medications.

Placental Tissue Matrix Injections

Also known as PTM injections, these injections aim at treating osteoarthritis by retrieving the healthy baby placenta from the mother after the baby is delivered. The placenta contains amniotic stem cells, which studies have shown to provide the therapeutic potential for regenerative medicine. PTM injections won’t cause an adverse reaction and have very low risks.

If you’ve been wondering how to treat your joint pain effectively, contact Dr. Luc Teurlings at Space Coast Orthopedics in Merritt Island, FL, for a consultation for injection treatment.