Joint Pain

Joint pain develops from many causes, but most can be categorized as inflammation, degeneration, infection, or trauma. A few of the most common causes include:

• Arthritis
• Injuries like sprains and strains
• Cartilage degeneration
• Joint infection
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis

When joint pain isn’t severe or chronic, it often responds to over-the-counter pain relievers, heat and cold applications, and physical therapy to promote motion and alleviate inflammation. If your joint pain doesn’t heal in two to six weeks, or it’s due to a progressive condition, you may need advanced pain relief.

FX Spine & Performance Center specializes in treatments administered directly to the cause of your pain. After medical treatment relieves your pain, and you can move comfortably, they also offer physical therapy and rehabilitation to strengthen your joints and promote better function.

Injections used to treat joint pain include:

Steroid injections

Steroids reduce inflammation and swelling, which alleviates joint pain. They may be injected into the joint, tendons, and bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion and reduces friction between structures in your joints. Your Physician at FX Spine & Performance Center uses ultrasound to guide needle placement during a steroid injection.

Peripheral nerve block

A peripheral nerve block consists of an injection of anesthetic on or near the nerve causing joint pain. This type of injection is very effective but only temporary, and it’s often used diagnostically to verify which nerves, if any, are responsible for your pain.

Nerve blocks may be used alone to temporarily relieve pain, injected along with steroids for longer pain relief, or followed by radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat to block signals in the targeted nerve.