Joint Aspiration for Pain Relief: How Does It Work?

Patients who have arthritis are often treated with injections that contain Hyaluronic Acid, Cortisone, or Platelet-Rich Plasma—all of which have anti-inflammatory properties.

But there’s another treatment method that’s gaining popularity; joint aspiration involves taking fluid out of the joint.  Let’s learn about what it entails and how it works.

What is joint aspiration?

Joint aspiration is a medical procedure that involves removing excess fluid from a joint through a needle. This procedure is used to drain large amounts of fluid that accumulate in the joint. This helps in relieving pain and eases joint movement.

How does it work?

The process is quite straightforward to understand. The usual areas of the body where a joint aspiration is performed include the ankles, elbows, foot, hands, knees, shoulders, and wrists. Your joint specialist will first clean the skin over the affected area.  After that, they’ll apply a spray for numbing the area so you don’t feel pain.

The doctor will carefully insert the needle into your joint in order to draw a small amount of fluid. For smaller joints like those in the hands and feet, they may perform an ultrasound or X-ray as well. The amount of fluid that will be drawn will depend on your symptoms.

For instance, if you’re suffering from arthritis, bursitis, or tendinitis, it’s likely that your specialist will have to draw more fluid out. Once this procedure is completed, you’ll be provided a shot of a medicine or steroids to alleviate the pain, relieve pressure, and lower swelling. It will make easier for you to move and go back home without any hassle.

Are there any side effects?

Joint aspiration is a very safe procedure, but it’s possible that you may experience mild side effects, which include swelling, pain, redness fever, or bleeding discharge from the treated area. You may also have a restricted range of motion in the joint. It’s important to remain seated until told otherwise by your doctor as you may experience dizziness.

Suffering from arthritis or another chronic disease and looking for a solution to get relief from the Neuropathic pain NJ or other chronic diseases? Get in touch with Pain+Recovery. We’re a multidisciplinary medical practice that offers pain management services to our clients. Our New Jersey Chronic Pain Therapist will create a personalized plan for you to help alleviate your pain and help you recover. For more details, call us at (201) 645 4336 or visit our website.