Gel Injection

If you experience chronic pain that worsens throughout the day, makes it difficult to perform basic movements and tasks, or prevents you from enjoying your standard quality of life, you’re not alone. Unfortunately roughly one in four Americans suffer from chronic pain, and while the causes might vary, the one commonality is immense pain. If you are suffering from chronic pain and are looking for solutions, the California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is here to help. It could be as simple as a minimally-invasive gel injection. 

Why Do Knee Injections Help Relieve Pain?

The knee joint is both a very strong joint that is also susceptible to injury. Because we use our knees for all daily activities, including activities that require the knee to bend, flex and twist, there is great opportunity for traumatic injury. This could include slip and falls, overextension during weight lifting or sports, or sudden directional changes when running or being active. 

The knee is made up of bones, including the femur, tibia, fibula and patella, as well as the quadricep muscles that provide support to the front of the knee and the hamstring muscles that provide support behind the knee. Additionally, ligaments and cartilage provide support to the knee and include: 

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL): located in the center of the knee, this ligament controls the rotation and forward motion of the shin bone
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL): located in the back of the knee, this ligament controls backward movement of the shin bone
• Medial collateral ligament (MCL): gives stability to the inner knee
• Lateral collateral ligament (LCL): gives stability to the outer knee
• The meniscus (lateral and medial):  provides a cushion between the tibia (shinbone) and the femur (thighbone)
• Articular cartilage that cushions the patella (kneecap)

Finally, bursae are fluid-filled sacs that cushion the spaces between the structures in the joint and provide lubrication that allows for ease of movement. All of these components together help the knee to comfortably bend, stretch, flex and twist without pain. That is, unless there is an issue with any of the aforementioned elements. 

The reason why gel injections are such a popular treatment option for dealing with chronic pain is because the injections can be targeted into the particular area of pain, including ligaments, tendons and cartilage. 

What are the Different Types of Knee Injections?

Your pain management specialist will recommend a particular knee injection depending on your location and level of pain. The available options include:

• Corticosteroid injections: these help to reduce pain and inflammation as a result of a traumatic injury or medical condition
• Hyaluronic injections: this is a great treatment option for lubricating the knee joint and controlling the pain associated with osteoarthritis. These injections can also reduce friction or inflammation in the joint and can slow down the degeneration of the bone and cartilage due to rubbing/friction. 
• Nerve blocks: the most popular injection option for patients who are still experiencing some form of pain after a knee surgery has been performed

What Do Knee Injections Treat?

While there are many causes of chronic pain that gel injections can treat, the two most common are arthritis and injury. Studies show that almost half of all elderly adults suffer from arthritis, most likely caused by a lifetime of wear and tear on the knee joint. Gel injections can help to reduce inflammation and breakdown of the joint, with a great focus on combating the effects of osteoarthritis. 

For patients who have experienced an acute injury, a twisting motion can result in tendinitis, or there’s even the possibility of a torn meniscus. The most commonly injured ligament in the knee is the ACL, and while it occurs most often for basketball, soccer or football players, anyone is susceptible to this injury. 

As a great alternative to surgery, gel injections help by:

• Decreasing the feeling of pain by stopping pain sensations from being sent to the brain
• Promoting healing
• Improving the patient’s quality of life by increasing movement and mobility
• Treating inflammation and reducing swelling
• Lubricating the joint, allowing for pain-free range of motion and less degradation on the individual components of the knee joint

Many patients opt for gel injections as one part of their rehabilitative treatment, most often utilizing physical therapy as a way to both reduce their symptoms and lengthen their period of pain remission. 

What Does a Knee Gel Injection Procedure Involve? 

The first step in determining if you are a candidate for a knee gel injection procedure is to have a thorough and proper diagnosis. Your pain management specialist will perform a physical exam as well as take X-rays to get a closer look at the inner workings of the knee and the source of pain. If the provider and patient determine that a gel injection is the best course of treatment, the procedure will occur in a doctor’s office or outpatient setting. 

The provider will clean the skin above and around the knee, and will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. If there is fluid present, the provider will remove the fluid using a needle, which not only relieves pressure and provides immediate pain relief but also helps with the delivery of the injection medication. Another needle is then injected, which delivers the medication and an anesthetic, both of which work to provide long-term pain relief by reducing inflammation, as well as immediate pain relief. 

Most patients experience pain relief that either happens immediately, or it could be gradual. Pain relief varies from person to person but could last for months, with additional injections administered as needed. 

While risks are minimal, they can include bleeding or infection at the injection site, or possibly nerve or tissue damage. Each type of gel injection poses different risks, so it’s important to partner with a pain management specialist who is knowledgeable in the risks and benefits of all specific injections and can recommend the best injection to help each individual patient find the most relief with the least amount of risks. 

If you are suffering from chronic pain and would like more information about gel knee injections, please reach out to the California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas today and schedule an appointment. Our team is dedicated to helping all patients live a high-quality, active life without pain, and gel knee injections could be the comfortable and safe option that can help.