Are you living with persistent joint pain in your knees, shoulders, hips, or spine that limits your daily life? Joint injections at Arête Health Group target inflammation at the source, helping relieve discomfort from arthritis, injury, or overuse so you can move with greater ease.
Relieve Pain Directly
at the Source
Joint injections are minimally invasive treatments that relieve pain and inflammation at the source. Using precise imaging guidance, a provider delivers medication, often a corticosteroid, anesthetic, or regenerative solution, into a specific joint or surrounding tissue. These are commonly used for conditions like arthritis, tendon irritation, and joint instability. By targeting the affected area, joint injections can help reduce pain and support your overall function.
Joint Injections Treat:
- Knee pain from arthritis, injury, or overuse
- Shoulder pain, including rotator cuff inflammation and bursitis
- Hip pain related to arthritis or labral irritation
- Facet joint pain in the spine causing neck or back discomfort
- Muscle knots and tight bands linked to trigger points
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction causing lower back and pelvic pain
- Tendon inflammation (tendonitis) around joints
How Joint Injections Work
Joint injections are tailored to the source of your pain, targeting specific joints or soft tissues to reduce inflammation and calm irritated nerves. By delivering medication directly where it’s needed, these treatments help interrupt pain signals and support healing.
Knee, Shoulder, and Hip Injections
These injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication, often a corticosteroid, directly into the joint space. In conditions like arthritis, the joint lining becomes inflamed and produces excess fluid, increasing pressure and pain. The medication reduces this inflammatory response, while a local anesthetic may provide immediate relief by temporarily blocking pain signals. This targeted approach helps improve lubrication within the joint, decrease stiffness, and restore smoother, more comfortable movement during daily activities.
Facet Joint Injections
Facet joints are small joints along the spine that help guide movement but can become irritated due to arthritis or injury. Inflammation in these joints can activate nearby nerve endings, causing localized or radiating pain in the back and neck. A facet joint injection places anti-inflammatory medication into or near the joint capsule. This reduces swelling and calms the irritated nerves, interrupting the pain signals traveling to the brain and allowing the surrounding muscles and tissues to relax and function more normally.
Trigger Point Injections
Trigger points are tight, sensitive knots within muscle fibers that form when muscles remain contracted or overworked. These knots can restrict blood flow, leading to a buildup of waste products and increased sensitivity. A trigger point injection introduces a small amount of anesthetic, sometimes combined with anti-inflammatory medication, into the knot. This helps the muscle fibers relax, restores circulation, and reduces nerve irritation, breaking the cycle of pain and allowing the muscle to return to a more normal, flexible state.
Sacroiliac Joint Injections
The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the base of your spine to your pelvis and play a key role in weight transfer. When these SI joints become inflamed, they can irritate the nearby nerves and cause lower back, buttock, or leg pain. An SI joint injection delivers anti-inflammatory medication directly into the joint space, reducing swelling and nerve irritation. By stabilizing the joint and decreasing inflammation, the injection helps relieve pain signals and improve your ability to stand, walk, and move comfortably.
Benefits of Joint Injections:
- Target pain directly at its source for more effective relief
- Reduce inflammation within joints and surrounding tissues
- Provide faster relief compared to oral medications
- Minimize systemic side effects by avoiding whole-body medication use
- Improve joint mobility and overall function
- Delay or reduce the need for surgery in some cases
- Often require little to no downtime after treatment
- Help confirm the exact source of pain for more precise care
FAQs
How Long Does It Take for Joint Injections to Work?
You may notice some relief within a few hours if a local anesthetic is used, but this is temporary. The anti-inflammatory medication typically begins working within a few days, with full effects developing over one to two weeks.
How Long Does the Pain Relief Last?
Relief can last anywhere from several weeks to several months. For some people, injections provide long-term improvement, especially when combined with physical therapy. If your pain returns, your provider will help determine whether repeat treatment is right for you.
Are There Any Side Effects I Should Be Aware Of?
Side effects are generally mild and temporary. You might experience slight swelling, soreness, or warmth at the injection site for a day or two. Less commonly, there can be a temporary increase in pain before relief begins. Serious complications are rare.
Can Joint Injections Replace Surgery?
In some cases, joint injections can delay or even help you avoid surgery, especially when used as part of a broader treatment plan. However, if structural damage is severe, surgery may still be recommended. Your provider will guide you toward the best option for you.
Schedule Your Consultation
When was the last time you felt truly heard and cared for when discussing your pain? At Arête Health Group in Paramus, New Jersey, we take the time to understand your unique needs and deliver personalized treatment that puts you first. Serving patients from Paramus, Fords, and Clifton, our providers focus on helping you move comfortably again. Schedule your consultation today to explore how joint injections can relieve your pain.
