Living with chronic back, neck, arm or leg pain can be debilitating and has a dramatically negative impact on your standard of living. Chronic pain can stop you from doing the activities or attending the events that you once loved – from dancing and a night out to just the simple joy of relaxing at home. Don’t let pain rule your life; there are numerous ways to treat chronic back, neck and leg pains – including steroid and Synvisc-One injections.
What are Steroid Injections?
When one thinks of steroid injections, many people think of the negative connations associated with the illegal method of improving athletic performance. However, there are many positive medical benefits to using steroid injections to manage pain. Epidural steroid injections are minimally invasive procedures which can relieve back, neck, arm and leg pain caused due to inflammation in the spinal nerves. In this process, a contrast dye is injected to confirm that the medication will target the correct area. Once completed, the steroid medication is injected near the base of the spine that is causing the pain. This type of injection offers relief from pain and inflammation, and usually takes effect within one to three days.
What are the Benefits of Steroid Injections?
Steroid injections tout numerous benefits and are a great option for patients who suffer from chronic back, neck, arm or leg pain. Here are some of the benefits:
- Pain Relief. Without a doubt, the biggest benefit of steroid injections is that they can cause almost immediate relief from pain. While the steroid injections are not guaranteed to end chronic pain entirely, they are a great option for patients who want relief while waiting for surgery.
- Minimally Invasive. Steroid injections are a great form of treatment because they are minimally invasive and require no anesthesia and relatively no downtime post procedure.
- Direct Delivery. Steroid injections deliver pain medication directly to the source of the pain unlike oral steroids and painkillers which disperse the medication but may not directly affect the source.
What Happens During the Steroid Injection Procedure?
During the steroid injection procedure, the area around the site will be cleaned and prepped for the injection. The doctor will simply inject the medication into the affected area. While you may feel some pressure when the needle is inserted, the injections are generally painless. Some patients experience redness or warmth after the injection, but the pain and inflammation should decrease within a day or two, so you can get back to what really matters in your life.
Another Option – Synvisc-one Injections
Synvisc-One is an injection that replaces the fluid that is naturally inside your knee to help lubricate and work as a cushion to the joint. Most people say they feel relief for up to six months. But does it really work?
The Synvisc-One Injection Procedure
Synvisc-One injections are a single-dose treatment injected directly into your knee. The injections only take a few minutes and can be performed in the comfort of your doctor’s office. To minimize injection pain your doctor will most likely apply a numbing agent prior to the Synvisc-One injection.
Synvisc-One is a gel-like mixture made from a substance called hyaluronan. The gel-like mixture is much like healthy knee fluid; therefore, your body can acclimate easier to the injection. Don’t perform any strenuous activity for about 48 hours following the injection. After that, consult with your doctor regarding getting back to your regular daily activities.
Synvisc-One Pain Relief
Most patients experience pain relief starting at around one month after receiving a Synvisc-One injection. This pain relief will last up to approximately six months and can subside over time. The injection can be repeated safely, just talk to your doctor.
Side Effects of Synvisc-One Injections
Though everyone reacts differently, the most common side effects include pain, swelling, heat, redness and/or fluid buildup around the knee. Some studies have shown that less than 6 percent of patients experience these side effects, and if they do, they are generally mild and do not last more than a few days.
Synvisc-One vs. Steroid Injections
If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, injections of hylan or cortisone may be effective treatments for pain management. However, it is difficult to predict which will work better for you – steroid or Synvisc-One injections. If you’ve already had injections with one and had a good response, this is probably the best predictor of future success. If you have not responded well to one of these injections, talk with your doctor about trying the other, or exploring other options.
