A common cause of a painful joint is synovitis (inflammation of the lining of the joint). An injection of corticosteroid and/or local anesthetic medication directly into the joint can sometimes be helpful in reducing the inflammation and providing pain relief. Reduction in pain may make physical therapy more effective.

 

This procedure is most often used in the hip, knee or shoulder, but may also be helpful in other joints.  To make sure the injection goes into the joint itself where it has a better chance of working, the injection needle is guided by pictures or images, most often using ultrasound or x-ray for guidance.

 

Sometimes it can be difficult for the referring doctor to know exactly what is causing the joint pain. If the pain is not due mainly to joint inflammation, the injection may not improve the symptoms. Although this might be disappointing for the patient, it can be helpful information for the doctor, as it means that another cause of the joint pain needs to be considered.