7 Benefits of Joint Injections for Arthritis Pain

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician Dr. James Stephens at Interventional Pain Center in Legacy Office Park, Norman, Oklahoma, wants to take this opportunity to educate people about the disease and the benefits of joint injections to ease the discomfort.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis comes from the Greek words for “joint” and “inflammation.” It’s not a single disease but an umbrella term for more than 100 joint-related conditions. Arthritis affects people of all ages, races, and genders, and it’s the leading cause of disability in the United States.

Common arthritis symptoms include joint swelling, pain, stiffness, and diminished range of motion. The symptoms can vary from mild to debilitating and may come and go. Severe arthritis, especially if untreated, can result in chronic pain and difficulty performing daily activities such as walking or climbing the stairs.

Arthritis symptoms can also worsen over time and lead to permanent joint changes. Some are visible, such as swollen and crooked finger joints, but most often, the damage can only be seen on X-rays.

The most prevalent types of arthritis

While arthritis comes in hundreds of forms, two types dominate the field. Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common, affecting 1 in 3 older adults. It can damage any joint but mainly develops in the hands, spine, hips, and knees, where a lifetime’s worth of wear and tear ultimately leads to dysfunction.

But just because it’s most prevalent among the older population doesn’t mean it’s a normal part of aging. Preventive measures, such as staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting inflammation-causing foods like red meat and sugar, can help avert the worst damage.

OA was once considered a wear-and-tear disease of the joint’s cartilage, where the protective cushion on the ends of bones wore down after years of use. However, further research has changed the medical community’s thinking.

We now know that OA is a disease of the entire joint, not just the cartilage. Bones in the joints weaken, the connective tissue holding the joint together deteriorates, and inflammation damages the joint’s lining. So, contrary to previous belief, we see that inflammation plays a key role in OA and other types of arthritis.

If you’re already dealing with mild-to-moderate joint pain and stiffness, regular physical activity, heat and ice therapies, judicious use of over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, and assistive devices can help you manage your symptoms.

The second-most common type is inflammatory arthritis, of which rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the best known. It’s an autoimmune condition, which means your immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues in your joints, believing them to be a foreign substance or disease-causing pathogen. In some people, the inflammation becomes systemic, damaging the eyes, skin, heart, and other major organs. 

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), gout, and juvenile arthritis are less common forms of inflammatory arthritis and can prove more challenging to diagnose. Like OA, you experience pain, stiffness, and a decreased range of motion in the joints.

Most doctors agree that something in the environment — a pathogen, stress, smoking — can trigger inflammatory arthritis in people who are genetically predisposed. Recent research has also highlighted the critical role of gut microbes in immune-related inflammatory diseases like RA and PsA.  

7 benefits of joint injections for arthritis pain

If you’re struggling with the effects of any type of arthritis, joint injections may prove beneficial. Injections may include an anesthetic, a corticosteroid to combat inflammation, or hyaluronic acid gel to lubricate the joint so bones don’t rub against each other.

The benefits of such injections include:

1. Less inflammation
2. Reduced joint pain
3. Reduced back/spine pain (spinal arthritis)
4. Better flexibility 
5. Improved range of motion
6. Improved mobility
7. Better quality of life

The injections may provide enough relief that you can engage in low-impact exercise or physical therapy, which can improve pain and inflammation even further.

Are you struggling with arthritis pain and restrictions and looking for relief? Interventional Pain Center can help. Call the office at 405-759-8407 to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Stephens, or use our online booking tool today.