Peter Lloyd MD

Joint injection is a procedure where a small hypodermic needle is inserted into the joint space and a variety of therapeutic agents can be injected to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Both acute and chronic pain is ideal for joint injections. The treatments will help reduce pain and allow the patient to work effectively with physical therapy and to start personal exercise programs to regain strength and range of motion, all with less pain. At the Seaside Rheumatology and wellness Center, all procedures are conducted under a strict aseptic technique and with ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound is used for a more accurate and less painful procedure. Common indications for joint injection include, osteoarthritis, crystal arthritis (gout, psuedogout), tendonitis, deQeurvains, trigger finger, bursitis, inflammatory arthritis(rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis etc), neuritis. Joints injected include the joints of the spine and pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, toes, shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers. There are certain contraindications and rare complications to these procedures, which will be discussed in detail during your office visit.

Patients who are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis may find that their condition keeps them from participating in the things they enjoy—even playing with kids or spending a day at the park without pain. By calling Seaside Rheumatology and Wellness Center, patients in Encinitas, CA can ask about a wide range of solutions for their unique needs. In many cases, patients enjoy treatments such as nerve blocks.

Trigger point injection (TPI) may be an option for treating pain in some patients. TPI is a procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. Many times, such knots can be felt under the skin. Trigger points may irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain, or pain that is felt in another part of the body. In the TPI procedure, a health care professional inserts a small needle into the patient’s trigger point. The injection contains a local anesthetic or saline, and may include a corticosteroid. With the injection, the trigger point is made inactive and the pain is alleviated. Often, a brief course of treatment will result in sustained relief. Injections are given in a doctor’s office and usually take just a few minutes. Several sites may be injected in one visit.