Injection therapy.
What Is Injection Therapy?
Injection therapy involves placing medication directly into or around a painful joint or soft tissue. This allows the treatment to target the affected area and may help reduce pain, improve movement and support rehabilitation.
We mainly offer two types of injection therapy: corticosteroid injections and Ostenil injections. The most appropriate option will depend on your diagnosis, symptoms and medical history.
How Does Injection Therapy Work?
Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroids are synthetic versions of hormones naturally produced by the adrenal glands. When injected into an inflamed joint or soft tissue, they can reduce inflammation, swelling, pain and stiffness.
The injection may be combined with a local anaesthetic, which can provide temporary pain relief while the corticosteroid begins to take effect. Relief varies between patients and may last for several weeks or months, although the injection does not necessarily treat the underlying cause of the condition.
Ostenil Injections
Ostenil contains sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid similar to a substance naturally found within healthy joint fluid.
It is injected into an affected joint to improve the lubricating and shock-absorbing properties of the joint fluid. Ostenil may help reduce pain and stiffness and improve movement in joints affected by osteoarthritis.
Injection therapy is not suitable for every patient or condition. Your podiatrist will assess you carefully, explain the potential benefits and risks, and discuss whether an injection is appropriate as part of your treatment plan.
How Could You Benefit from Injection Therapy?
Injection therapy may help reduce pain, swelling and stiffness associated with certain joint, nerve and soft-tissue conditions affecting the foot or ankle.
By temporarily reducing symptoms, an injection may make it easier to walk comfortably and take part in exercises or rehabilitation. It is usually considered when other treatments, such as activity modification, footwear changes, exercises or orthoses, have not provided sufficient relief.
Depending on your condition, the injection may contain a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation, sometimes combined with a local anaesthetic for short-term pain relief.
Local anaesthetic injections can also help with diagnosis. If the precise source of your pain is unclear, temporarily numbing a particular joint, nerve or area may help identify which structure is causing your symptoms.
Conditions for which injection therapy may be considered include:
Osteoarthritis-related joint pain
Retrocalcaneal bursitis
Capsulitis
Morton’s neuroma or other neuroma pain
Plantar fasciitis and persistent heel pain
Baxter’s nerve entrapment
Sinus tarsi syndrome
Injection therapy is not suitable for every condition or patient. Your podiatrist will carry out an assessment, explain the potential benefits and risks, and discuss whether it is an appropriate part of your treatment plan. Results vary, and any relief may be temporary.
Can anyone have injection therapy?
There are very few reasons people wouldn’t be able to have injection therapy, your podiatrist will discuss this with you as part of your assessment. Your podiatrist would usually need to know if you have had any previous injections, if you had any adverse reactions or allergies to medications, if you are pregnant, or if you have an infection.
Risks of injection therapy
- Pain
- Infection
- Failure to resolve symptoms
- Bruising (at injection site)
- Rupture of soft tissues (if in very close proximity to injection site)
Risks of steroid injection therapy
- Steroid flare
- Elevated blood glucose if diabetic
- Facial flushing
- Bleeding between usual menstruation patterns
What is OSTENIL® and how does it work?
OSTENIL® is a treatment for the symptoms of osteoarthritis. It can be used in the knee, or in any of the other joints in the body that are classified as 'synovial'
How does OSTENIL® work?
OSTENIL® is a solution containing sodium hyaluronate. It is injected into the space in the joint that contains synovial fluid and works by restoring the normal balance between the breakdown and production of sodium hyaluronate. This procedure is known as 'viscosupplementation', and the effect of OSTENIL® means that it can decrease pain and stiffness and improve the other symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Sodium hyaluronate (also known as hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan) is a natural substance. It is present in the body wherever moisture is stored or lubrication between layers of tissue is required to eliminate friction.
Examples are the vitreous body of the eye itself, the tear film, the joint cartilage, the synovial fluid in the joints, all the mucuous membranes of the body, but also the basic substance of the skin which consists of up to 55% sodium hyaluronate.
How many injections are required?
Ostenil Mini is used for small joints, we might consider Ostenil Plus for an ankle joint.
OSTENIL® MINI: Once a week for a total of 1-3 injections.
OSTENIL® PLUS: This requires just one injection.
You will probably not notice any benefits immediately after the first injection, but you should gradually start to feel less pain and stiffness over the next few weeks. The improvement in your symptoms is likely to persist for several months, depending on the progression of the degenerative change in the joint being treated.