Peripheral joint pain can be debilitating and impact your ability to perform daily tasks like working, household chores, or even self-care. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away and masking it with medication isn’t always advisable as a first line of defense. Learn about minimally invasive pain relief treatments that Midsouth Spine & Pain Associates (MSSP) offers in Southwest Tennessee and North Mississippi.
What are peripheral joints?
Peripheral joints are extremity joints such as the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and hips, knees, ankles, and feet, but does not include the spine. Conditions like arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis often afflict these extremity joints as we age or due to trauma and injuries. Unfortunately, peripheral joint pain can also radiate into other areas of the body. For instance, elbow joint pain may cause numbness and tingling in the lower arm, wrist, hand, or fingers.
What are peripheral joint injections?
Peripheral joint injections are an option for patients suffering from chronic pain in their extremity joints and in such cases where surgery may be prolonged as a last resort or if for patients that are unwilling or unable to undergo extensive joint surgery and repair. Peripheral joint injections take minutes to administer and may be done so using fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance to ensure precise delivery of the medication. The injection is administered directly into the affected joint to reduce inflammation and chronic pain.
Injection medications often have a combination of ingredients including an anesthetic to numb the area and a corticosteroid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. In some cases, the injection may include a hyaluronan, a significant component of extracellular matrix, which is a structural component of tissue such as cartilage and synovial fluid. Hyaluronan is also responsible as a signaling molecule. The body naturally produces hyaluronan, although its production fades over time. Additionally, damage or trauma could destroy the hyaluronan within a joint.
What to Expect
Our pain doctor in Corinth uses fluoroscopy to guide injections. Therefore, we will position you either sitting or lying down on the fluoroscopy table. This machine is similar to an x-ray and projects live imaging onto a screen to be used as a guide and monitor while administering the injection.
Next, the pain specialist sterilizes your skin and numbs the targeted area. The needle is inserted and guided toward the joint and once in the proper positioning, the doctor injects the anti-inflammatory medication. Receiving the injection takes a few minutes and afterward, you’ll be placed in a recovery room for observation. Since peripheral joint injections are an outpatient procedure, you will go home once your observation period is complete and you have had no reactions to the medication.
Risks & Side Effects
Risks and side effects are rare for peripheral joint injections. For most individuals, these injections are safe and effective at relieving chronic pain. However, in some instances, patients may experience pain, infection, or allergic reactions. Although peripheral joint injections are generally safe and effective, they should not be administered repeatedly over time because they can have adverse effects such as damage to the joint cartilage.
Peripheral Joint Injections in Southwest Tennessee and North Mississippi, including Tupelo, MS and Jackson, TN
Peripheral joint injections may be a solution for you if you experience chronic pain in your extremity joints. If you would like to learn more about peripheral joint injections or find out if this pain-relieving therapy is right for you, contact Midsouth Pain & Spine Associates by calling (662) 284-8565.