Hip Joint Injections
Each year, thousands of people find that hip pain has made activities they used to welcome such as outings, exercise, and time with family/friends a chore. If you have hip pain, non-surgical treatment options should be considered first.
Hip joint injections have revolutionized the treatment of hip pain and other areas affected by that pain, such as the lower back, buttock, or leg.
What are Hip Joint Injections?
The hip joint is a large joint where the leg joins the pelvis. It usually hurts from arthritis, although there are fewer common causes of pain from this joint, such as injury or overuse.
Arthritis is a degenerative disease that occurs when the cartilage lining the joint surface shrinks and wears thin, causing stress on the bone, inflammation, and enlargement of the joint.
Hip joint injections involve:
- Diagnosis – Because the injection includes numbing medicine that is placed into the joint, the amount of immediate pain relief experienced will help confirm or rule out the joint as a source of pain. If there is no pain when the joint is numb, then the joint is likely to be the source of pain.
- Treatment – Along with numbing medicine, the injection includes a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation, improving joint movement, and providing long-term pain relief.
Fluoroscopy (x-ray) is used in hip joint injections for guidance in properly targeting and placing the needle, and for avoiding nerve or another injury. The physician will inject contrast dye to confirm that the medicine goes into the joint, and then the medicine is slowly released into the joint.
How Long does it Take?
Hip joint injections are safely performed on an outpatient basis. The procedure typically requires 20 minutes, including preparation time, and is followed by a short period of observed recovery time.
What are the Expected Results?
As a proven alternative to surgery, hip joint injections successfully reduce pain for patients. Following the procedure, however, you may have soreness for one to two days. It’s recommended that you take it easy the day of the procedure, but return to your usual activities the following day. You can expect immediate relief minutes after the procedure and prolonged relief from corticosteroid medicine.
Is There a Longer Lasting Therapy?
While not a cure, hip joint injections are very effective in reducing inflammation of the joint and providing considerable pain relief for an extended period of time. For even longer-lasting benefits, advanced regenerative procedures, such as prolotherapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and stem cell therapy, may be recommended. These innovative techniques promote healing and the potential for permanent improvement.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Richmond Hill office at (718) 215-1888, or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office, to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko.
