A common cause of a painful joint is synovitis (inflammation of the lining of the joint). The 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.

The joint injection is most often carried out using ultrasound to guide the injection. An X-ray or CT scan can be used depending on the joint to be injected and the method preferred by the specialist doctor who carries out the injection.

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.

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 a CT scan or X-ray is 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 doctor may remove some fluid from the joint for analysis before giving the injection.

After your ultrasound-guided joint injection treatment, you will notice immediate pain relief due to the local anesthetic that is injected. This will wear off in a few hours, and pain may return briefly. The steroid medication will take effect within a few days, and you can enjoy long-lasting pain relief at this point. The results from your ultrasound-guided joint injection can last between several weeks and several months. The exact duration of these results will vary, so we will help you determine the kind of results that you can expect during your initial visit.