Intra-Articular Injections For Pain management

In cases of severe pain, patients often seek medical help and guidance on the best possible solution or course of treatment for the pain. One such treatment is the intra-articular injection for pain management. An intra-articular injection is one that is settled within the cavity of a joint. This form of pain relief will most often be administered when the outpatient has followed other courses of pain management to no avail.

Intra-articular injections for pain management are administered to patients with pain of the joints of the body. Specific conditions indicating the management of intra-articular injections for pain management include relief of inflammation causing a reduction in range of appeal or general daily performance and management of corticosteroids to the site of joint inflammation to relax cases of severe, seemingly untreatable, pain. Most often associated with joint disorders or conditions such as joint replacements and arthritis of the joint, the anti-inflammatory and pain medications can be delivered to the immediate causal site of the pain as opposed to utilization from the bloodstream or digestion. The injection thus decreases the inflammation of the area and relieves the pain associated with the inflammation. During the management of an intra-articular injection for pain management, the outpatient may feel pain and pressure from the needle. In most cases, lidocaine will be injected into the site of the pain along with the pain medication in order to lessen the localized pain from the injection. In cases of severe pain, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) has been used to calm the outpatient before injection. Intra-articular injections for pain management have been used for many years, the success rate of the injections depends greatly on the thorough health of the joint and the medication administered during the injection, as well as the correct placement of the injection into the joint. The possible side effects associated with the intra-articular injections for pain management include: hypercortisonism, Cushing Syndrome, hyperglycemia and infection. These side effects are very rare and are most often associated with intra-articular injections given too often to the patient.