Intra-Articular Cortisone Injection for Osteoarthritis

The Intra-Articular Cortisone Injection, is in short, a steroid injection used to help inflammation caused by osteoarthritis.

The medicine is injected into the joint space of the inflamed (painful) part of the body. This may include hips, shoulder, wrist, foot, ankle, knee, or elbow.

It is worth noting that Intra-Articular is most likely going to be for patients with mild OA, or as the last option before a more rigorous choice like surgery. It may also be used as just a part of the overall OA treatment. These are all matters to discuss during an appointment.

Since cortisone is similar to the hormones produced in the body, it is a good choice for reducing inflammation. However, if inflammation is not a symptom of a patient’s osteoarthritis, then the Intra-Articular injection may not be a good fit.

In most instances, over-the-counter options should be used prior to an injection. If these do not work, then an injection may be your next step. This depends on your medical history, and many other factors that deal with your unique body and characteristics.

What Kind of Relief Should you Expect?

The extent of the relief varies from patient to patient. Some experience pain relief for a few weeks, some several months, and others more than six months. The Intra-Acrticular injection should only be administered three or four times per year.

Are there any Side Effects?

There may be minor side effects after an injection. The most common is pain and slight swelling in the injection site for a couple days. Dr. Henriquez will discuss all possible side effects, however.