A common cause of a painful joint is synovitis (inflammation of the lining of the joint). An injection of corticosteroid and/or local anesthetic medication directly into the joint can sometimes be helpful in reducing the inflammation and providing pain relief. Reduction in pain may make physical therapy more effective.
Sometimes it can be difficult for the referring doctor to know exactly what is causing the joint pain. If the pain is not due mainly to joint inflammation, the injection may not improve the symptoms. Although this might be disappointing for the patient, it can be helpful information for the doctor, as it means that another cause of the joint pain needs to be considered.
The joint injection is mostly carried out using ultrasound to guide the injection. CT can be used depending on the joint to be injected and the method preferred by the radiologist (specialist doctor) who carries out the injection.
A needle will be placed into the joint either at the point marked on your skin or using the ultrasound to see the tip of the needle as it moves into the joint. If CT are used to guide the needle, then a small amount of contrast medium will be injected into the joint to provide clearer images and ensure the needle tip is correctly positioned.
Sometimes the radiologist may remove some fluid from the joint for analysis before giving the injection. The injection itself is usually a mix of steroid and/or local anaesthetic.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly team.
Generally, a preliminary scan will be done to locate the exact point to be injected, which may be marked on your skin. The skin will then be cleaned with an antiseptic solution to prevent infection.
Experience the YPS Difference
Look no further than YPS Imaging.
Our team of experts is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality diagnostic imaging services using state-of-the-art equipment.