Types of Medications Used in Joint Injection for Pain

Unfortunately, there are a number of people who suffer from joint pain. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, slipped discs in the back and injury can lead to the need for direct injections of medication into the joint to alleviate pain. The hips, the back and the knees are the most common places for joint pain but not the only ones.

Joint Pain Causes

• A lot of joint pain is caused by immune system responses, and certain childhood diseases can increase a person’s chance for joint pain in the future. Mumps, measles, rubella and chicken pox trigger the body’s immune system, which can go on to attack healthy tissue and cause joint pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is a major cause of joint pain and it is triggered by an autoimmune disorder.

Injections Used to Diagnose Joint Pain

• It's common in the case of severe pain to use injections to verify the area affected. If lidocaine is injected into a joint and the pain subsides, that joint is the most likely cause of the chronic pain. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment can begin. Although oral pain medications can alleviate pain on a short-term basis, joint injections have longer lasting effects.

Medications Used in Joint Injections

• Cortisone, corticosteroids, lidocaine (a numbing agent and potential nerve blocker) and occasionally gold are all used to treat joint pain. Cortisone and corticosteroids reduce the inflammatory response the body may have to injury and arthritis and are often given every two to three months. Nerve blockers may also be used but are usually short acting.

  Gold? Yes, gold. It isn’t clear as to how gold affects joint pain, but it has been proven to have long-term effects on its reduction and elimination. It is suggested that metals like gold and platinum block or destroy viruses, bacteria and other pathogens that may infest joints and cause immune responses that trigger inflammation. This is particularly helpful for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Another benefit of gold injections is the longevity of the pain relief (anywhere from three months to a few years) and in some cases the elimination of pain altogether. But it usually takes three or more months to feel pain relief and can be expensive.

  For those suffering from chronic joint pain, joint injections may be the way to go. Not only do the medications reduce pain, they also help promote joint health.