Chronic pain can be relentless and unpredictable. Some days you might feel better, but on others, the pain can strike without warning. Living with such uncertainty can be extremely frustrating. Thankfully, the medical injections provided by Apex Orthopaedics Spine & Neurology in Rock Hill offer hope.
Pain management injections offer a minimally invasive solution that delivers effective and long-lasting relief. If you’re battling chronic pain due to various injuries or conditions, Apex Orthopaedics Spine & Neurology is here to provide the crucial relief you need. Contact us at 704-412-3045 today to speak with one of our specialists or schedule a consultation.
How Are Medical Injections Used in Pain Management?
Medical injections for pain relief contain various medications. Most include a steroid like cortisone, a local anesthetic, or a combination of both. Injections with steroids generally offer prolonged relief from pain and inflammation. Epidural steroid injections are frequently used to alleviate lower back pain, but they can also address upper and neck regions. The medication is introduced into the epidural space around the spinal cord to provide the required relief.
Another common type of pain relief injection is nerve blocks, which help relieve acute pain by interrupting nerve signals that would otherwise register as pain in the brain. These injections are often used to manage pain related to inflamed nerves and can also help identify the source of discomfort.
The injection process is quick and straightforward. After cleansing the injection site, a medical specialist administers a local anesthetic and uses an X-ray and a test dye to locate the exact spot for medication delivery. The specialist then injects the medication and covers the site with a small bandage. Patients often experience pain relief soon after the injection as the medication starts to take effect. The number of injections required for long-term relief varies from person to person.
Conditions and Injuries Treated with Injections
Pain management injections can treat almost any condition or injury causing chronic pain. Commonly treated injuries include:
- Back injuries from repetitive movements, heavy lifting, sports accidents, twisting, or falls
- Dislocated or fractured vertebrae
- Cervical or lumbar sprains
- Whiplash
- Herniated discs
- Muscle strain
- Car accident injuries
These injections can also address various conditions, including:
Osteoarthritis: Caused by the breakdown of cartilage at the ends of bones, osteoarthritis primarily affects joints in the spine, hips, knees, and hands but can impact any joint.
Radiculopathy: This painful condition arises from pinched nerves due to degenerative changes, injuries, or soft tissue inflammation.
Degenerative Disc Disease: The natural aging process can cause spinal discs to weaken and dry out, leading to chronic back pain.
Spinal Stenosis: Due to bone spurs, herniated discs, or thickening ligaments, this condition narrows the spinal canal, putting pressure on the nerves.
Available Medical Injections at Apex Orthopaedics Spine & Neurology
Spinal Injections
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
RFA is used to manage chronic pain in arthritic joints, the lower back, and the neck by employing heat to destroy tissue. Radio waves are sent through a strategically placed needle to heat a part of the affected nerve. Destroying the nerve stops it from sending pain signals to the brain. RFA is often considered when physical therapy and pain medications fail to provide relief. It is also used for patients who have had a successful nerve block injection since the problematic nerve has already been identified.
Cervical Medial Branch Block Injections
These injections treat facet joint pain, which may cause referred shoulder pain, headaches linked to neck joints, and neck pain. The injection delivers a local anesthetic near the joint in question, close to the medial branch nerves, blocking pain signals to the brain. This procedure can offer long-term relief and can also predict the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablations on the affected branch nerves.
Cervical Epidural Injections
Typically used for temporary relief from chronic neck pain caused by inflamed or irritated spinal nerve roots, cervical epidural injections can address issues stemming from spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and osteoarthritis. An anti-inflammatory medication is injected into the epidural space of the neck.
Thoracic Facet Joint Injections
These shots address pain linked to the facet joints in the upper back (thorax). Facet joints, located between vertebral bones along the spine, can be affected by arthritis, mechanical stress, and injuries, resulting in chronic pain in the chest, mid-back, and sometimes the arms. The injections, which are a mixture of local anesthesia and corticosteroids, help relieve facet joint pain in the mid to upper back.
Thoracic Epidural Injections
Thoracic epidural injections provide temporary pain relief to the mid-upper part of the back. The medication is delivered into the epidural space around the spinal cord. This procedure can help with pain caused by spinal stenosis, nerve irritations in the spine, thoracic post-surgical spine syndrome, and disc herniation.
Lumbar Facet Joint Injections
Found in the lower back, lumbar facet joints allow bones to rotate. Arthritis and facet arthropathy can cause pain in these joints. Lumbar facet joint injections, also known as lumbar facet joint blocks, deliver a numbing medication (local anesthetic) into the affected area. The number of injections needed depends on how many joints are affected.
Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Injections
For patients experiencing lower back pain when bending, lumbar transforaminal epidural injections may address dural or disc inflammation, particularly if the pain extends down the legs, signaling nerve root inflammation. This procedure involves injecting steroids into the epidural space of the lower back, specifically on the side where the nerve exits the spine, ensuring it’s as close to the inflammation source as possible.
Sacroiliac Joint Injections
The sacroiliac joint connects the pelvis to the spine with one joint on each side of the body. Pain in this area can affect the hip, buttock, or lower back. Sacroiliac joint injections alleviate pain by delivering medication directly into the joint, also aiding in diagnosing the pain’s cause.
Spine Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
These injections don’t rely on medication for pain relief. Instead, they use a concentrated dose of the patient’s platelets and plasma to decrease inflammation and speed up healing. The platelets are drawn from the patient and injected into the affected section of the spine. PRP injections provide longer-lasting results and are considered safer for continuous use with fewer side effects and risks than steroids.
Joint Injections
Joint Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
PRP injections for joints use the patient’s blood to promote faster healing. The high concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma supports healing and provides pain relief. Clinicians centrifuge a blood sample to extract platelet-rich plasma, which is then injected into the affected joint or tendon. PRP injections can show results in a matter of weeks and are safer than traditional pain medications like corticosteroids.
Joint Steroid Injections
These injections are beneficial for those experiencing chronic joint pain from inflammation. They contain a numbing agent and a corticosteroid, which, when injected directly into the joint capsule, can significantly reduce inflammation and provide pain relief for days, months, or even years. Joint steroid injections can treat pain associated with degeneration, injury, or arthritis in various joints, including the knee, shoulder, hip, sacroiliac, and facet joints.
Achieve Effective Pain Relief Today!
Chronic pain can significantly impact your quality of life. If you have been trying ineffective pain relief methods, consider scheduling an appointment for Rock Hill medical injections. Call 704-412-3045 to speak with dedicated pain relief specialists or to book an appointment at Apex Orthopaedics Spine & Neurology.
