Are Spine Injections Safe?

If you have chronic problems with back pain, you probably deal with a lot of discomfort and difficulty. You may have already tried many things as over-the-counter pain relievers or yoga stretches. But you’re not happy with your treatment options and wonder if you can do anything else.

Maybe someone has told you that joint injections can help, but you may wonder if injections in your spine are really safe. The providers at Mid Jersey Orthopaedics explain more about the safety of spine injections.

What are joint injections?

You may think you have only two options for treating osteoarthritis: pain medication or surgery. 

However, joint injections are a safe and minimally invasive treatment option for several conditions, including arthritis. 

What joint injections contain

You can get injections of several different types of medication. These include:

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs. They instantly bring down the swelling in your joints. One treatment lasts for several months. Unfortunately, corticosteroids have greater risks if you get treatments more often.

Hyaluronic acid injections

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in your body, like the fluid in your joints. When injected, it acts as a shock absorber and allows for greater movement of your joint. Hyaluronic acid is recommended for moderate arthritis, especially because it doesn’t have as many side effects as corticosteroids.

Platelet-rich plasma

Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is another form of injection that can relieve pain. With this procedure, we get a sample of your blood obtained by a standard blood draw. Your blood is spun in a machine called a centrifuge, which concentrates the plasma from your blood. This concentrated plasma stimulates regenerative healing factors when injected into your joint.

Placental tissue matrix 

These injections are prepared from the cord blood of a healthy baby. The placental tissue matrix is another substance that can stimulate regenerative healing processes, like what you get from PRP.

Both PRP and placental tissue matrix injections provide lasting relief, but these treatments are not usually covered by insurance.

If you have back pain, you have more healing options at your disposal. Contact the providers at Mid Jersey Orthopaedics or request an appointment online.