One of the most commonly asked questions here at Reflex is, “How painful are HA injections?” Nobody likes pain, and we take several measures to prevent as much discomfort as possible. Here are several steps that we add to the injection process to minimize knee injection discomfort:
Numbing: Before injection, the area is prepped, sterilized, and sprayed with Ethyl Chloride liquid, which momentarily numbs the surface of the skin.
Anesthetic: A small needle is used to inject some anesthetic into the sterilized area. The anesthetic helps minimize the ‘sting’ of the larger needle injection. Bicarbonate is added to the anesthetic to help minimize the sting as well.
X-Ray: Injections are guided by fluoroscopy – a real-time X-ray that ensures the treatment is going directly to the affected joint with the highest accuracy and effectiveness.
No Rush!: Extra and ample time is scheduled for the injections to ensure that the anesthetic has had time to adequately work.
Need more?: For some patients with high levels of needle anxiety, we may prescribe a mild anti-anxiety medication to be taken before the procedure.
So are knee injections painful? It feels about the same as a flu shot, and most patients do not report any pain after the procedure is complete. We are here to accommodate our patients to the best of our ability and make this process as smooth and painless as possible to get you back to the activities you love.
“I’m the first to admit that I have a phobia of needles, and the thought of receiving the injection treatment made my skin crawl. The team at Reflex, however, was extraordinary. They walked me through each treatment, alleviated my anxiety, kept me calm, and helped me deal with my fear. The process and success of the treatments is completely worth the needles, and I plan on additional treatments in the future to continue improvement.” – Leonard Allen
Call us today to schedule your knee evaluation at (503) 719-6783.