Peripheral Joint Steroid Injections

 

Description

 

Peripheral joint injections is a procedure involving a diagnostic and therapeutic injection into the joints outside of the spinal column; this includes the hip, knee, shoulder. Anti-inflammatory steroid medication and local anesthetic (numbing medicine) provide short or long-term pain relief.  By putting the strong anti-inflammatory called "cortisone" (steroid) into the facet joint, the pain is eliminated when the inflammation in the joint is suppressed.  

 

How It’s Performed

 

The patient is first given a local anesthetic to numb the skin/muscle/fat.  A thin needle is guided through the numbed skin/muscle and down to the joint.  Dr. Faubel watches on a live low-dose x-ray machine called a fluoroscope as he guides the needle to make sure it goes into the correct area.  The x-ray allows for precision, safety, and improved results.  Contrast solution is then injected to confirm that the needle is properly placed in the joint.  Once Dr. Faubel is sure the needle is in the correct area, he will inject the steroid and anesthetic (lidocaine) solution.

 

Candidates For This Procedure

 

If you have a painful hip, knee, or shoulder joint, you may benefit from a joint steroid injection.  A thorough history and examination by Dr. Faubel will help to determine this.

 

How Long Does The Procedure Take

 

The entire procedure usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

 

Recovery

 

No recovery is needed.  Icing the area of the needle stick will help if you feel any muscle pain afterward.

 

Instruction After The Procedure

 

• Icing the area of the needle sticks will help if you feel any muscle pain afterward.

• No bathing or other submersion of the injected area in water for 24 hours.

 

Results

 

If the joints are the cause of the pain, you will experience immediate pain relief from the lidocaine medicine, but the anti-inflammatory effect of the steroid (cortisone) can take 1-4 days (sometimes even two weeks) to work.  

 

Relief of pain can last from one week up to years, or in some cases permanently.

Communities Serviced - 

Dr. Faubel has helped patients with low back and neck pain from nearby Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, McHenry, Huntley, Dundee, Gilberts, Carpentersville, Woodstock, Wonder Lake, Barrington, Prairie Grove, Cary, Spring Grove, Genoa City, and Elgin, Illinois.  Patients have come from as far away as Rockford, Illinois, and communities in southern Wisconsin and western Indiana.