Address: 23101 Sherman Place, Suite 507, West Hills, CA 91307
Phone: (818) 598-0000
Address: 23101 Sherman Place, Suite 507
West Hills, CA 91307
Services
Therapeutic Injections
joints
At times, diagnosis of a condition may involve aspiration of the joint and examination of the fluid under microscope. The characteristics of the fluid can help us differentiate between different types of arthritis. Most joints can also be injected with anesthetics and corticosteroids for rapid pain relief. Almost every joint can be injected to relieve pain.
These are some of the joints that Comprehensive Rheumatology Center will aspirate and inject:
Hands
Feet
Shoulders
Elbows
Wrists
Knees
Ankles
Jaw (temporomandibular joint)
Lower back (facet joints)
Lower back (sacroiliac joints)
tendons/bursae
Injuries to tendons and bursae are very common and can result from sports or any repetitive movement of our daily lives. If conservative management does not resolve the pain, corticosteroid injection is very helpful for pain relief, and often, healing of the injury
These are examples of such injuries:
Carpal tunnel syndrome (wrist)
Tarsal tunnel syndrome (ankle)
Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
Medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow)
DeQuervain's tenosynovitis (thumb)
Subacromial bursa (shoulder)
Trochanteric bursa (hip)
Patellar bursa (knee)
Trigger finger (locked finger)
Hyaluronic Acid Injections
Hyaluronic acid is a viscous material that lubricates the joint and is thought to also stimulate cartilage growth.
These injections are given every few months depending on the severity of the arthritis, and are sometimes uses to prolong for prevent surgery
These injections are currently approved for the knee joint:
When you take a medication orally, it gets dispersed through your entire body. This is a good option if multiple locations are affected, but if you have only one area that is involved (like one joint, tendon or bursa), it may not be the most efficient way to treat the area. Injections target the medication directly to the problem area therefore may be more effective. Usually a smaller dose of medication is needed, sparing the rest of the body from potential side effects.
Since the skin is punctured by a needle, there is a small chance of infection. The area is prepped in a sterile fashion to minimize this risk. Although a local anesthetic spray is used, there may be pain associated with the needle insertion. Corticosteroids can cause wear and tear in the area and should not be used more frequently than advised (see previous question). Steroids can cause atrophy of the fat tissue, so occasionally there may be dimpling in the injected area or discoloration of the skin. These are often reversible over time.