Knee Joint Injections

The most common source of knee joint pain is osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that transpires when the cartilage on a joint wears down and causes stress on the bone.
 
Knee joint injections serve as a precursor to knee surgery and can also be used as a diagnostic tool. Initially, when a knee joint injection is administered, a doctor injects an anaesthetic, a numbing agent similar to that used at the dentist’s office. The relief that follows allows doctors to determine whether or not the knee joint is the source of the pain.

Knee joint injections are administered on an outpatient basis. A doctor applies a numbing agent prior to injecting an anaesthetic-corticosteroid mixture into the joint. A fluoroscopy, or live X-ray, may or may not be used to guide correct needle placement to avoid injury or nerve damage.
 
The initial anaesthetic injected into the joint provides instant relief, while the corticosteroid may take longer to go into effect. After the knee joint injection is administered, patients should ice the injection site and avoid rigorous activity up to 48 hours post-injection.

People sometimes report a flare in pain and swelling for up to two days following a knee joint injection until the steroid takes effect, and while knee joint injections are performed without incident, potential side effects that could occur include:
 

• Skin discolouration
• Nerve damage
• Weakness
• Tendon rupture
• Thinning of the skin around the injection site
• Infection
• Allergic reaction

Knee joint injections help to reduce inflammation and stop pain long enough to allow exercise or physical therapy to resume, which, in turn, can potentially yield more permanent results. If a corticosteroid knee joint injection does not work, the next step may be one of the following:

• Hyaluronic acid injections
• Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Placental tissue matrix (PTM) injections

Knee joint injections typically provide pain relief for several days to six months or longer. They may be repeated but only for a limited time, as too many knee joint injections may actually contribute to the breakdown of cartilage in the knee.

Knee joint injections are largely considered to be a safe and effective treatment option for joint pain. Reports indicate over 90% of patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis saw symptom improvement within two weeks. Evidence supports longer-term relief, as well, especially when accompanied by prednisone.