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Joint Injections services offered in Oxon Hill, Clinton and Takoma Park, MD
Steroid injections are an effective treatment for many long-term pain conditions. Board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist George Drakes, MD, and his team at Metro Spine PC use ultrasound guidance to deliver injections safely and accurately. The practice has offices in Clinton, Takoma Park, and Oxon Hill, Maryland. You can benefit from ultrasound-guided injections for joint pain, spinal pain, and more. Call your nearest Metro Spine PC office today or schedule a consultation online to learn how ultrasound-guided injections can relieve your pain.
What are ultrasound-guided injections?
Steroid and local anesthetic injections are effective against painful musculoskeletal conditions that don’t respond to conservative treatments.
Metro Spine PC uses ultrasound imaging to ensure the procedure is safe and the medication gets to the right place.
If you have a disorder that isn’t improving with physical therapy, medication, or other noninvasive treatments, ask your doctor if ultrasound-guided injections are the appropriate next step.
Which conditions might benefit from ultrasound-guided injections?
Many conditions can benefit from ultrasound-guided injections, including:
- Osteoarthritis (joint deterioration)
- Rheumatoid arthritis (joint inflammation)
- Gout (uric acid crystals in the joints)
- Tendinitis (tendon inflammation)
- Bursitis (inflamed fluid sacs in the joints)
- Spinal stenosis (spinal canal narrowing)
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica (lower back and leg pain)
- Radiculopathy (spinal nerve compression)
- Herniated (torn or ruptured) discs between the vertebrae
- Carpal tunnel syndrome (wrist pain)
- Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
The potent anti-inflammatory steroids in ultrasound-guided injections reduce inflammation, and the anesthetic blocks pain by numbing the nerves. These injections can have long-lasting effects.
How does ultrasound guidance help with injections?
Injecting medication into the precise tissues without causing damage is challenging. A skilled doctor can deliver the drugs quite accurately without imaging in many cases, especially in an uncomplicated area. But the Metro Spine PC team aims for the utmost precision, which is only achievable with image guidance.
Ultrasound creates moving images of the treatment area. It uses echoing sound waves to reproduce the interior structures and tissues on a screen for your doctor to view. This enables them to see exactly where the needle goes and ensure it avoids damaging nearby tissues.
Using ultrasound-guided injections means you receive the maximum benefit from your treatment with minimal risk.
What happens when I have an ultrasound-guided injection?
The procedure for ultrasound-guided injections varies depending on where you have the injection and its purpose. For example, a spinal injection might require sedation to ensure you stay still and relaxed. A local anesthetic injection or numbing cream can help you avoid discomfort.
Your doctor will instruct you on activities to avoid after your injection. You should feel immediate relief from the anesthetic; the steroid effects will take a few days.