worried about inter-articular injections

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suzu1982
suzu1982 Non-active member Posts: 21
edited 9. Nov 2013, 18:13 in Living with Arthritis archive
hi everyone
i had my first app. at the pain clinic today and other than the usual talk about losing weight, which i find a bit rich coming from a guy who easily out weighed me, i was told i would probably benefit from injections into and around both knees.
now, like most people i suppose, i don't like needles. and i meant i REALLY don't like them, i have a tendency to faint. so what i really want to know is how bad will it be? will it be really painful?
no horror stories please, i'm scared enough as it is, just an honest idea of what to expect.
thanks guys and i hope everyone is doing well.
S*
where there's life, there's hope

Comments

  • suzygirl
    suzygirl Non-active member Posts: 2,005
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have had injections into my hip and shoulder and also my back. The hip and shoulder injections did not hurt, just slightly uncomfortable. Back injections were momentarily painful. They put a local anaesthetic with the injection to help with the pain.
  • dibdab
    dibdab Non-active member Posts: 1,498
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I haven't had knee injections, but my 80+ year old mum has had them 3 times and said they're "a bit uncomfortable but not too bad". I've had them into hips and shoulder- again with a local anaesthetic so neither was more than uncomfortable for a short time. Both times I've had a lot of relief after a few days, but it takes a while for it to work. Also it's important to really rest the joint for a few days to give the steroid chance to work-it kind of sits in the joint and bathes the inflamed area(that's hoe the rheumy nurse explained it to me!).

    Hope you pluck up the courage to do it, and get substantial relief from it.

    Deb x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    This is a difficult one. I never had problems with them but some find them painful. I suspect it might be something to do with the ability to relax. Try practising beforehand – tensing the knee muscles up as much as you can then relaxing them fully. Get used to doing it so's you can do it at the right time. And don't forget to rest the knee for 48 hours afterwards to enable the steroids to do their stuff. I hope it makes a big difference.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Non-active member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    They are not fun, but you won't know if you will gain any benefit until you have one. I have had them a number of time (aspiration followed by injection) and never had much in the way of relief. The most comfortable one I had was when the anaesthetic was injected and given at least five minutes to get to work - if you decide to go ahead make sure they understand that you want that to happen. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Sezeelson
    Sezeelson Non-active member Posts: 133
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I've had my knees, wrists, ankles, elbows done multiple times since I was a baby and yeah, they are just 'uncomfortable'.

    Stickywicket is spot on about how relaxed you are equalling how much pain you will feel. When I was a child, obviously I panicked and the injections felt horrible. The nurse had to hold my legs down because I couldn't keep the knee still as I was SO tense. Looking back, I wouldn't say it was unbearably painful, just very uncomfortable and very scary! Bareing in mind I was about 7 when I had this.

    Few years later, around 12 or 13 I had both knees, ankles and wrists done. This time I knew what to expect and I was a lot more relaxed. The knee and wrists were done no problem with the ankles feeling a bit worse but not painful.

    Later still I had my left wrist and elbow done, again no pain at all. Just discomfort and I was in and out of hospital very quickly. I make sure I get gas and air now :P love the stuff! If your really nervous about the injections I suggest you request if you can, will take the edge off for you.
  • As5567
    As5567 Non-active member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    This is how I remember the pain feeling. No pain from the injection going through the skin after using cold spray, while the medication is being injected I felt pressure building up behind and around the knee which lasted for about 60 seconds, after that the whole joint went numb and didnt ache until later that day.

    I think that most people feel more pain than is necessary when having injections from being all tense and expecting the worst. I myself hate any type of injections and always used to find myself feeling really hot and dizzy to the point where I actually passed out once. I have learn in recent months that if I relax while having injections then the paint isn't really that bad.

    I hope it goes well for you
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Non-active member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I agree with all of the above, I have had them in knees, elbows, ankles and relaxing is the key. It is not pain - it is just strange, can't think of another way to describe it. I like to distract myself-counting spots on the ceiling listening to music, getting a nurse to chat away, concentrating on my breathing. I have been known to turn green but rarely faint but I know it will be short lived and I just make sure that the nurse knows to finish the job if I do faint-easier on me!
    I have not tried gas and air but you may want to ask this is you have a real problem with needles. How do you deal with blood test?
    I got great relief from the injections-as long as I rested for 24-48 hours-proper bed rest, only hobbling on them for bathroom trips. Waited on hand and foot if possible.
    The longer the steroid is soaking in the joint the better. Have a porter chair at the nurse room to wheel you to the car and get someone to drive you home, you are off your feet for a while. Do you own crutches that you could use if you do need to move, I try to keep my legs straight too, don't know if it is overkill but I thought of every moment pushing out some of the steroids away from the joint.

    Thistle
  • Mormodook
    Mormodook Non-active member Posts: 130
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I was once told by my dentist ( not dr but I think it would be the same ) that if a muscle relaxes and isn't tense and hard then the needle goes in easier and as a result it isn't as sore . I always try to concentrate on relaxing on that part of my body and even if it doesn't make a difference I can believe it might . Big joints I've found are easier than small ones but for me the results always out weigh the discomfort of the jag. I also get my daughter to tell me to visualise something that is utterly silly ( last time it was a unicorn skipping about ) and at the peaks of pain I think of the ludicrous thing and it takes my mind off those seconds of pain. After saying that I find knees to be totally fine to get done ! Good luck - and think of a unicorn !

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