Knee Injections Philadelphia, PA

After you have been suffering from knee pain, you may be wondering if the knee injections Philadelphia, PA offers at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania is the right solution for you. Understandably, you do not want to look at surgery as the first option when you are dealing with knee pain. It is costly and it is not certain that it can produce permanent or long-term results. The risk of side effects after going through surgery is also higher. You may also be hesitant to use medication because while that can temporarily help with your pain, it only lasts so long and it does not truly help your knee begin to heal. Knee injections are suitable for select candidates, depending on the patient’s condition and medical history. Knee injections, like PRP therapy, stem cell therapy, and cortisone shots can all help you begin to heal while taking away the pain that comes with knee injuries. It targets the affected area in the knee so that pain relief can happen right away. 

Many patients do not realize that surgery is not the only option for achieving lasting pain relief. See if you are a candidate for knee injections by talking to a trained and experienced knee pain doctor. Interested in learning more about how we can help? Contact the Premier Osteoarthritis Center of Pennsylvania now.

Is arthritis of the knee common?

Yes, arthritis of the knee is actually the most common source of knee pain, osteoarthritis in particular. The knee cartilage breaks down overtime and causes bone friction. Obesity, age, and overuse of the knee can contribute to the development of arthritis. As people get older, they are not able to move as well as before. This can result in longer sedentary periods and lack of use, which further contribute to the development of arthritis. 

We depend on our knees for many things in our everyday life. Our knee joint supports the weight of our body, and enables us to walk, jump, run, and do other activities. The knee consists of sensitive ligaments, fluids, and cartilage, which makes it vulnerable to injury and pain. It is a highly complex part of the body, so if one part is even slightly damaged, it can result in major issues and can take a long time to heal. 

When the knee doesn’t function properly, the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles can get inflamed. And from there, this can become a worsening cycle where the discomfort and pain continues. Over time, the knee becomes weaker and the injury may worsen. After an exam and diagnostics, your doctor may conclude that a direct cause of the knee pain may be:

• Arthritis
• Spinal misalignment
• Congenital disorders
• Sports injury
• Muscle and soft tissue weakness
• Excess weight
• Trauma (ligament injury, dislocation, meniscus tear)

What are the common symptoms of knee pain?

Symptoms of knee pain can vary widely, and the issues can be external or internal. Certain symptoms may indicate that you need immediate medical attention. If you notice that your knee is particularly painful or that you can see that it is swollen or warm to the touch, have a doctor evaluate it right away. Knee injuries should not be ignored, or they could be more difficult to treat. It is much easier to treat a knee injury earlier than once it has progressed to a worsened state. You want to increase your chances of being able to restore your knee to full functionality. When you are experiencing knee pain and considering Philadelphia, Pennsylvania knee injections, you may be experiencing some of the following symptoms:

• Your knee is visibly deformed
• An inability to move your knee as much as you have before
• Pain, tenderness, and swelling
• Your knee feeling particularly hot
• You no longer feel that you can put any weight on that leg because it hurts your knee
• A popping or clicking sensation

What if I have pain around my knee?

If you have pain that starts at the knee joint and radiates outwards to surrounding muscles, it may be time to visit a qualified knee doctor, such as one from Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. This is particularly true if your knee pain has not gone away after several days. There are three different types of knee pain, which are categorized as either acute, a medical condition, or chronic/overuse. Acute injuries result from trauma in an accident, such as a car collision or slip and fall. Ongoing knee symptoms may be considered a medical condition, the most common being arthritis. And chronic or overuse is described as pain that goes on for longer than six months or more, tendonitis or bursitis for example.

What are my treatment options?

There are several treatment options that we offer here at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. We will first need to learn more about your medical history, injury, symptoms, in addition to doing a physical examination of the area. It will be useful for us to know what you have tried in the past to alleviate your knee pain and discomfort. After that, we may suggest physical therapy, lifestyle changes, surgery, pain management, and/or massage therapy. Not all treatment options are suitable for everyone, so a knee doctor needs to carefully evaluate you to find the best ones.

Who is most at risk for knee injuries?

There are a few groups of people who are more at risk for knee injuries, depending on their ages and lifestyles. For example, people who are more active or have weaker bones are much more at risk. Knowing if you fall in one of these categories can help you take the proper actions to reduce your risk of suffering an injury.

• Elderly people. Typically, as you age, your bone density begins to wear down and many people develop osteoarthritis. This can leave you in a lot of pain and make walking difficult. 

• People who are overweight. Your knees take a great deal of stress and pressure doing many movements. When you squat, stand up, walk, or run, you are putting an immense amount of pressure on your knees. The more weight you are carrying around, the more pressure there will be on your knees. Losing excess weight can greatly alleviate knee pain and minimize the risk of injury.

• People who are active. If you run or play sports, you are at a higher risk of knee damage. People who do a lot of recreational activities like hiking and cycling are also vulnerable to developing knee injuries. This probably is not a big surprise to you if you have had an ACL injury before or have twisted your knee the wrong way playing sports. 

How To Choose a Great Knee Injections Philadelphia, PA Doctor

Choosing a quality Knee Injections Philadelphia, PA is as important as choosing a qualified doctor or surgeon. What should you look for in a good knee injections doctor?

Licensure

To receive the best care from a professional who knows what he or she is doing, you’ll want to make sure the knee injections doctor is licensed. You can ask and go off of the honor system, or you can look it up for yourself. Each state has a licensing board with a website where you can find every practicing doctor in that state. Find the knee injections doctor you’re considering to make sure he or she is properly qualified. You could also ask the doctor to view his or her license directly.

Professionalism

When you walk into the front office of the knee doctor, do you feel like you’re in a shady place or do you feel like you’re in a professional doctor’s office? That first impression says a lot. Did someone at the front desk pleasantly greet you? Was everyone courteous? Was it clean, tidy and sanitary? All of these questions are important to ask yourself as you consider professionalism.

Cost

You should probably not ever choose a knee doctor solely based on cost, but it can factor into your decision. If you don’t have any insurance coverage, speak with the staff about discounts or uninsured payment plans. If you do have insurance, what is your copay going to be? The goal is to get the biggest bang for your buck, and you’re not going to get that if you settle for less of a professional because you’re trying to save a penny.

Privacy

Many private practice doctors have private treatment rooms. If you’re uncomfortable being treated in front of others, or if you have a private issue you don’t want shown off to everyone around, you should have the option of a private treatment room. You should also take a look at privacy in terms of how your paperwork is handled and who is given access to your file. 

Call a Knee Injections Doctor Today

Whether you were referred by your medical doctor, or you simply know what you need, knee injections might be your next step in recovery. Call a Knee Injection doctor in Philadelphia, PA today to make that first appointment. We at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania care for you and we are ready to help you in your condition.

How can you help with my knee pain?

When you are suffering from knee pain, you have different injection options that we can go over with you when you visit our office. For example, if you take corticosteroid injections, you may find that your pain is gone relatively quickly and swelling and inflammation go down as well.

Want to learn more about knee injections for your knee pain? Speak with the team at the Premier Osteoarthritis Center of Pennsylvania about Philadelphia, PA knee injections now. 

Knee Injections Philadelphia, PA

If you are considering a knee injection in Philadelphia, PA you may be wondering what kind of injections are there. There are many different types and each is used for different reasons. No matter the reason you should be well informed on what each is used for. Here at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania, we want to be as transparent as possible for you, so you know what to expect when you walk through our doors. 

Different Types of Knee Injections 

In most cases, a knee injection is performed to treat the pain arising from various diseases in the knee joint. The type of medication used is dependent on the condition that is being treated and the extent of the disease. A doctor is going to know which to recommend to you but it can get overwhelming in the office if you’ve never heard of them before. Here is a list of the most common types: 

• Steroid Injections – This is one of the most common forms of injection to the knee. They are made to help with pain and inflammation from various disorders to the knee. The most common ones are osteoarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritic knees. However, they can also be done to help those with knee injures. 

• Infliximab Injections – This form of injection is used to suppress inflammation to the knee and typically lasts for two to six months after the injection is done. The most common reasons for this treatment are knee monoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondyloarthropathy. 

• Hyaluronic Acid Injections – Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in your body, and through age, it decreases. This form of injection lubricates the joint, decreases friction, decreases the impact on the joint, delays joint aging, and reduces pain. 

• Botox Injections – Botox inhibits the sensory neurons causing pain. When injected into the knee it helps improve joint pain and stiffness and lasts for about three months before needed treatment again. 
• Plant-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections – PRB is obtained from your blood and contains growth factors that stimulate collagen formation. It lubricates the joint and reduces pain in many people. 

How Long Do Injections Last? 

It is going to depend on your body for the most part. In many cases, the average time depends on the type of injection done to your knee. They also don’t work immediately after the injection, so don’t be alarmed if you find yourself still stiff after a day or two. 

When it comes to how long they last it truly does vary. Here are the averages of how long the injections last: 

• Steroids – Need to be done about three to four times a year. The effects last for about 6 to 12 weeks depending on your body. 

• Infliximab – Each treatment can be repeated every eight weeks and can take up to 2 to 6 weeks to be effective. 

• Hyaluronic Acid – Most injections last about 2 to 6 months and need to be repeated as needed. 

• Botox – In most cases, the treatment lasts for about 3 months. 
• Plant-Rich Plasma – Typically the injections last for about 6 months but it can be longer depending on your body. 

Depending on your body you may need treatment more or less than others. No matter the case though, you can know you are in good hands here at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. Do you need knee injections in Philadelphia, PA? If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

A typical knee injection is an outpatient procedure completed in the comfort of a trained physician’s office. Injections like viscosupplementation can deliver up to 6 months of pain relief from knee pain caused by arthritis. The goal is to directly combat what causes the knee pain, whether reducing inflammation or increasing the fluid in your joint so bones don’t rub against each other.

The Knee Injection Process

1) Initial Examination

Accurate diagnosis is the key to treating any disease. After a thorough history and examination, x-rays are used to confirm the diagnosis. Osteoarthritis presents as narrowing of the joint space or space between where two bones come together. There are different medicines and products used to treat osteoarthritis, and our doctor will help guide you to the treatment best suited for your condition.

2) Preparing The Patient

Sterility with any injection is important, so the first step includes thoroughly cleaning the skin where the needle will be inserted into the knee. Next, a cold spray freezes the skin just prior to the physician inserting the needle, which numbs the skin to reduce discomfort. Typically, a local anesthetic is injected into the joint to reduce post-procedure discomfort.

3) Locating The Joint Space

This is the most important part of the process because a doctor can’t inject your knee just anywhere. The injection must go into the part of your knee with the arthritis, or you’ll never feel relief.

4) The Injection

Once the needle has been inserted into the knee, a contrast dye confirms the correct placement by showing up on the x-ray. If the dye shows the needle was not in the right place, the physician can make small adjustments in the placement of the needle to ensure proper placement prior to injecting the medicine. Depending upon your knee specifically and the specialized treatment you receive, your knee might need to be drained of excess fluid before the medication is added.

5) Post-injection Instructions

After the needle is removed, the doctor places a small bandage over the injection site. Patients are able to stand and walk immediately after the injection and can drive themselves home. For 24-48 hours, we recommend taking it easy with prolonged standing, walking, or heavy exercises. Normal daily activity is fine as long as it is nothing excessive. It can take a few days or even a few weeks for you to feel pain relief following the injection(s).

Knee Injections Are a Safe And Proven Solution For Pain Relief

Whether steroid(cortisone) or viscosupplementation, knee injections can provide quick and often lasting relief of knee pain. These treatments are covered by most major insurance companies and even Medicare, if you qualify.

Knee Injections Help

You don’t have to continue living with constant pain if you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from a form of arthritis. There are advanced, cutting-edge treatment options available that you may be the right candidate for. If you have considered surgery or other invasive traditional forms of knee pain treatment, consider if injections would be appropriate for you. They have been proven to be as effective or more effective than surgery and risk medications. Learn about the arthritis treatments available for you by speaking with an experienced doctor who is knowledgeable about knee injections in Philadelphia, PA. 

It is not too late to discover treatment options. Find out how you can get relief from knee or joint pain now. If you’d like to know more about Knee Injections in Philadelphia, PA and how they might help you, contact or knee doctor in from the Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania.