Knee pain can occur as the result of several factors, and determining the cause is necessary for effective treatment. When home remedies and therapy seem to be ineffective, recurring and chronic knee pain may require different types of knee injections and advanced treatments, such as medications, injections or even surgery to relieve the pain and restore mobility.
If medications do not seem to work, and you’re thinking twice about going through surgery, then one of the following knee injections might be your option. Knee injections involve injecting steroids and other substances directly into the knee joint or around the area to provide temporary relief.
Consider These Types of Knee Injections
Sometimes, the doctor may need to remove excess fluids from the joints to determine the cause of joint pain. Arthrocentesis, also known as joint aspiration, is done by inserting a hollow needle into the joint capsule to remove the fluid to be used for the tests. This can also provide quick relief, and the doctor may use the same puncture site to introduce a corticosteroid.
For targeted quick relief of pain and swelling, another type of knee injection is the doctor sometimes injects corticosteroids straight to the knee joint. Although it has fewer side effects than taking oral corticosteroids, repeated steroid injections may be a factor in cartilage damage.
Hyaluronic acid joint injection eases pain and stiffness, particularly in people with arthritis and those who have reactions to painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen and steroid injections. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found within the body, primarily in the eyes and joints, and it acts as a lubricant that allows the joints can rub against each other smoothly. People with osteoarthritis have less hyaluronic acid and may need a knee injection to reintroduce the acid for pain and inflammation relief. A hyaluronic acid shot only mild side effects, which makes it a good option. However, hyaluronic acid may not similarly benefit people with advanced osteoarthritis.
Types of Knee Injections from your Denver Physical Therapist
Are you considering any types of knee injections to relieve your chronic knee pain? If so, your Denver physical therapist can help. To learn more, call Denver Physical Medicine today at 303-757-7280 to schedule an appointment with a top Denver physical therapist.
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