There are more than 100 rheumatoid disorders under the classification of arthritis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the joints. These include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile, psoriatic, and more. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis may cause pain and disability in any of the joints of the body, including the spine, hips, knees, and hands. In particular, arthritis in the spine occurs when the cartilage of the spinal joints is worn down over time due to normal, age-related wear and tear. Long-term poor posture and trauma may also affect the joint cartilage. This loss of cartilage may lead to the formation of bone spurs in osteoarthritis patients, causing the bones to rub together painfully. Other symptoms include swelling and immobility of the joint.

Patients suffering from arthritis in the spine may benefit from a variety of physical therapy practices, including therapeutic exercise, ice and heat, low-level laser therapy, and traction. Chiropractic treatment is also useful for many arthritis patients. In addition to these practices, our office also incorporates Traditional Chinese Medicine in order to provide patients with drug-free options for pain relief.

For some patients, attempts to relieve pain and improve movement using physical therapy and chiropractic may either be unsuccessful or impossible due to pain and/or immobility. In such cases, our office provides a number of interventional procedures for the relief of pain. For arthritis, we offer Facet Joint Injections, Sacroiliac Injections, Peripheral Joint Injections, and Sympathetic Blocks. (We also offer Viscosupplementation for patients with arthritis of the knee).

Epidural Steroid Injections for Arthritis

Epidural Steroid Injections are recommended for patients suffering from the extreme pain, numbness, weakness, and other symptoms related to the compression and irritation of the nerve roots. For example, osteoarthritis may be the cause of spinal stenosis, a condition marked by the narrowing of the spinal canal. This places pressure on the nerves and leads to the symptoms of sciatica.

Epidural Steroid Injections are performed on-site in our Red Bank pain management office. Using live x-ray (diagnostic technology known as Fluoroscopy), our pain management specialists are able to make the most accurate diagnoses and injections possible.

This procedure involves the injection of a long-lasting steroid into the spine’s epidural space. In some cases, an anesthetic numbing agent is also injected to provide immediate relief while helping to flush out inflammatory, pain-causing proteins from the area. Saline may also be used for this purpose.

Steroid medication coats the spinal nerves and facet joints in order to provide longer-lasting relief from pain and other symptoms, including radicular pain (pain that travels down the legs or arms, depending on where symptoms are felt). By reducing inflammation in the facet joints, arthritis patients can find relief through Epidural Steroid Injections.

Contact our office to learn more about Epidural Steroid Injections for arthritis in Red Bank, NJ. Our Monmouth County pain management office provides a variety of interventional procedures for arthritis patients in addition to physical therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture.