Key Takeaways
- Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that mimic the body’s natural cortisol hormone. When injected, they can provide rapid relief from knee pain and improve mobility by reducing inflammation.
- Patients with osteoarthritis, inflammatory conditions like bursitis, or athletic injuries may benefit from a corticosteroid injection for knee pain.
- Corticosteroid injections require cleaning the knee before administering the medication into the joint and resting afterward. Most people experience pain relief starting within a few days that may last weeks to months.
- In addition to short-term side effects, such as temporary pain flare-ups and skin changes, corticosteroid injections can raise long-term concerns, like potential cartilage damage and tendon weakening, with repeated use.
Exploring Injection Therapy for Knee Pain Relief
Knee pain can stem from various causes, from degenerative diseases and inflammatory conditions to injuries, such as ligament tears or fractures. Without medical intervention, knee pain can hinder day-to-day life and make many activities challenging—you may experience debilitating knee pain while walking up stairs, cycling, or playing your favorite sport, for example.
Thankfully, a joint specialist can help address knee pain in many ways that do not require surgery. Depending on the severity of the issue, the medical professional may recommend physical therapy, treatments that use electromagnetic fields, or a corticosteroid injection for knee pain. Joint injections can alleviate pain and improve mobility by reducing inflammation.
By reading through the guide below, educate yourself on the potential benefits and risks of getting a knee corticosteroid injection. Then, contact a qualified medical professional to discuss if injection therapy is a good fit for your specific situation.
What Are Corticosteroid Injections?
Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that mimic cortisol, a hormone the human body naturally produces within the adrenal glands to regulate responses to stress, inflammation, and certain metabolic and immune functions.
Corticosteroids are able to suppress the body’s immune response, which otherwise leads to joint inflammation. Therefore, they are often injected into joints like knees and hips to alleviate pain by decreasing swelling and discomfort that can accompany inflammation.
Commonly Used Corticosteroids
There are many types of corticosteroids regularly used for knee injections, such as:
- Triamcinolone – Considered long-acting, and it is often used for deeper joint injections.
- Methylprednisolone – This corticosteroid is intermediate-acting and is commonly used for moderate inflammation.
- Dexamethasone – Regarded as very potent and fast-acting, but it offers a shorter duration of relief.
Ultimately, the choice of corticosteroid depends on the patient’s specific condition and what their healthcare provider thinks is best.
Who Can Benefit from Corticosteroid Injections?
Corticosteroid injections can help the following classifications of people alleviate their knee pain.
Osteoarthritis Patients
Individuals with knee osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage breakdown, may experience less pain and stiffness after getting a corticosteroid injection in their knee due to the temporary relief it can provide by reducing joint inflammation.
Patients with Inflammatory Conditions
Similar to its effect on osteoarthritis patients, those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or bursitis may experience benefits from corticosteroid injections as they help control the inflammatory response within the joint.
Athletes and Active Individuals
Knee injuries caused by sports or physical activities, such as ligament sprains or meniscal tears, may find corticosteroid injections helpful in managing pain and facilitating rehabilitation.
Suppose you are experiencing knee pain, and your medical provider suggests surgery without exploring other options like corticosteroid injections. In that case, you should seek a second opinion for knee surgery from a qualified joint specialist—you may be able to alleviate pain in a non-invasive way.
What to Expect From Corticosteroid Injections
Although each patient’s experience may be unique, three steps that are usually included in the corticosteroid injection procedures are:
- Preparation – The medical provider will thoroughly clean the skin covering the knee. Sometimes, they will also apply a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort.
- Injection – After preparation, the corticosteroid medication is injected directly into the knee joint.
- Post-injection care – Following their injection, patients are often advised to rest their knee and avoid strenuous activities for at least 24 hours post-injection.
For most patients, peak pain relief and anti-inflammation occur a few days after the injection. These benefits can last from several weeks to a few months, depending on factors like the patient’s age and the cause of their knee pain. Even though these benefits tend to wear off, healthcare providers usually limit corticosteroid injections to a maximum of three to four per year in the same joint due to potential side effects.
Benefits of Corticosteroid Injections for Knee Pain
Some advantages that patients experience shortly after getting a corticosteroid injection in their knee are:
- Reduction of inflammation – These injections directly target the inflammatory process within the joint, progressively helping decrease swelling and improve joint function over the course of a few days.
- Pain relief – As a result of the reduction in inflammation, corticosteroid injections can significantly reduce knee pain, allowing patients to resume daily activities with greater ease.
- Improved mobility – Due to reduced pain and inflammation, patients often exhibit enhanced mobility and a more extensive range of motion in the affected knee.
Although the benefits mentioned above are regularly reported by patients injected with corticosteroids, individual responses may vary.
Our compassionate team at The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale will take all the steps necessary to help you overcome pain and ensure a smooth recovery.Get Back to Your Lifestyle
Potential Risks and Side Effects
Corticosteroids are widely considered to be safe and effective if a qualified medical professional injects them at an appropriate frequency. However, it is essential to consider the potential risks below.
Short-Term Side Effects
Some patients may experience post-injection flare-ups that result in a temporary increase in pain and swelling shortly after the injection. Some patients also report skin changes, such as the lightening or thinning of the skin near the injection site.
Long-Term Concerns
Repeated corticosteroid injections carry more substantial risks than the short-term side effects above. For instance, long-term use may damage cartilage by inhibiting the production of collagen and other essential proteins that contribute to cartilage health, potentially leading to gradual cartilage thinning or breakdown over time.
By reducing collagen synthesis, these drugs can also weaken tendons, impairing their structure and strength and increasing the risk of degeneration. If left unaddressed, this can eventually lead to tendon rupture, especially if the patient receives frequent injections in the same area.
Limitations on Frequency
To mitigate the risks of the long-term side effects above, healthcare providers recommend limiting the number of corticosteroid injections administered to no more than three to four per year in the same joint.
Comparison to Other Treatment Methods
When managing knee pain, it’s essential to consider alternative therapy options aside from injections and weigh their potential benefits and limitations. Below are other common approaches that may be recommended over corticosteroid injections.
Physical Therapy and Exercise
Physical therapy is intended to improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles around the knee, which can enhance joint stability. Although physical therapy requires a substantial time commitment and active participation, it can offer long-term benefits that may outweigh corticosteroid benefits. Plus, physical therapy avoids the potential side effects associated with repeated corticosteroid use.
To support this, a trial from Duke University reported that patients with knee osteoarthritis who undergo physical therapy experience less pain and better knee functionality after one year compared to those relying solely on corticosteroid injections.
ARPwave and PEMF Therapies
Non-invasive therapies like Accelerated Recovery Performance Wave (ARPWAVE) and Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy have also gained attention for knee pain management.
ARPWAVE therapy uses electrical stimulation to facilitate muscle re-education and improve blood circulation, which can ultimately reduce inflammation. This therapy is intended to address the root causes of pain and aid in long-term recovery by enhancing neuromuscular function.
Similarly, PEMF therapy involves the use of electromagnetic fields to stimulate healing and reduce pain. PEMF therapy can decrease pain and improve physical function in patients with joint conditions like knee osteoarthritis; however, results can vary.
Knee Replacement Surgery as a Last Resort
For individuals with severe knee pain that is unresponsive to conservative treatments like the ones mentioned above, knee replacement surgery may be the best option. This surgical procedure involves replacing the damaged knee joint with an artificial implant to restore function and alleviate pain. While highly effective, surgery can carry health risks and require a significant recovery period, causing many medical providers to only resort to it if other treatments have failed to provide relief.
Obtain Fast Knee Pain Relief with Corticosteroid Injections
Knee corticosteroid injections can be a viable option for relief from pain and inflammation-induced stiffness. Although a corticosteroid injection for knee pain can help in the short term, the effects may wear off after a handful of weeks. Additionally, it’s crucial to be aware of their limitations, including potential side effects and diminishing returns with repeated use.
At the Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale, we understand that each patient’s condition is unique. So, our team always provides personalized care, evaluating your situation to look for signs it’s time for a knee replacement, and recommending the most appropriate treatment plan. If needed, we offer several types of injections to relieve knee or hip pain caused by underlying conditions. Dr. Shane Martin typically administers these treatments in-office to help reduce inflammation and support the body’s healing process. Contact us for an initial consultation to discuss the best treatment method for your knee pain and consider corticosteroid injections and alternative therapies.