Steroid Injections
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V Pain Clinic
Ratko Vujicic, MD
Pain Management located in Rock Hill, SC & Charlotte, NC
When you’ve tried all the usual medical treatments, but your pain still hasn’t improved, a steroid injection may provide the relief you need. Ratko Vujicic, MD, at V Pain Clinic has years of experience administering steroid injections in joints throughout your body and in the spinal canal to treat inflamed nerves. To learn more about steroid injections, schedule an appointment online or call one of the offices in Rock Hill, South Carolina, or Charlotte, North Carolina.
Steroid Injections Q & A
Why might I need a steroid injection?
Corticosteroids, or steroids, are powerful anti-inflammatory medications. Using an injection, Dr. Vujicic can precisely target the inflamed tissues to achieve optimal results. Although they’re called steroid injections, they’re usually administered along with a local anesthetic.
What conditions are treated with steroid injections?
Dr. Vujicic administers steroid injections in your spine to treat inflamed nerves and in your joints to reduce inflammation due to an injury or degenerative disease.
Epidural steroid injection
Dr. Vujicic identifies the nerves transmitting pain signals and injects the steroid in the epidural space of the spinal canal by the nerve. As the steroid spreads out slightly within the space, it covers several nerves in the area with anti-inflammatory medication.
An epidural steroid injection treats back, neck, leg, and arm pain caused by:
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- A herniated disc
- Osteoarthritis
- Bone spurs
- Degenerative disc disease
These conditions compress spinal nerves, causing nerve inflammation and pain.
Joint injections
Dr. Vujicic may inject any joint that’s inflamed and painful due to an injury or degenerative disease like arthritis. This includes large joints like your shoulder, hip, and knee, as well as smaller joints in your hand, foot, and spine.
What are the benefits of steroid injections?
Steroid injections can effectively relieve pain and improve range of motion. However, each patient responds differently. Some patients experience a small amount of pain relief, while others are virtually pain-free following a steroid injection. Your results may last for a day or for several years.
Even if you only get mild-to-moderate pain relief, an epidural injection gives you the ability to fully engage in physical therapy, which helps strengthen your muscles, maintain mobility, and reduce inflammation. The ongoing effects of physical therapy are key to less pain as your steroid injection wears off.
What should I expect during a steroid injection?
Before your injection, Dr. Vujicic administers a local anesthetic and an oral sedative, if needed. Using ultrasound imaging to see the needle as it’s inserted, he carefully guides it to the exact location and injects the medication.
You’ll be able to walk around right after your procedure is finished. Although you may have some soreness at the injection site, most patients return to their normal activities the next day.
To learn more about steroid injections, call V Pain Clinic or book an appointment online.
We also offer Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation. Call us to book your appointment today.
