Tag Archives: cortisone injections

Knee Pain Relief and the Confessions of a Big Baby

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Written by an Orthopaedic & Spine Center Staffer (who shall remain anonymous)

My knees ache! Carrying around this extra weight for all these years is not helping. “Lose weight”, says my doctor. How can I exercise to get the weight off when my knees are so painful? It is a vicious cycle: Lose weight with more exercise to stop aching; can’t exercise to lose weight because my knees ache from all the extra weight! My friend had a cortisone shot in her knee (done by her orthopedic specialist) and said it helped her pain for at least two months. Forget it! Just pass the potato chips and the foot stool! Steroid shot? No way, I hate needles!

Orthopedic specialist Dr Boyd Haynes III MDIf I can just talk myself into the shot, I could get relief from my pain and start exercising to lose the weight, I could then stop the pain for the long haul. That seems like a much better cycle to be in.

Perhaps there is some comfort in knowing that the stuff inside the needle is actually a synthetic version of a substance that is produced by our own bodies. When our bodies are under stress, the adrenal gland produces cortisone that is released into the blood stream. However, the cortisone produced by the body does not last long and it is definitely not going directly to my bad knees. When a patient is given an injection to the knee, the cortisone goes right to the area of the problem. Now, cortisone is not going to relieve the pain, but it relieves inflammation, which can cause pain. It may also take a few days to work, but lasts much longer than the steroids our bodies produce.

On the outside of the skin, an anesthetic will be used so the injection site shouldn’t hurt. Since the cortisone may take a few days to make a difference in my discomfort, an anesthetic like Lidocaine or Marcaine may be included in the injection to numb my pain, fortunately with the same needle!

OSC pain spoecialists Dr Jenny Andrus and Dr Raj Sureja

Dr Jenny Andrus & Dr Raj Sureja - Interventional Pain Management Specialists

There might also be some comfort in knowing that the orthopedic physician has very specially trained hands that will use ultrasound to guide the injection. The ultrasound wand is placed near the site of the injection and the computer screen shows the physician exactly where the needle should go for the synthetic cortisone to provide the most benefit. It would be amazing to see the inside of my knee on the computer! It is reassuring to know that it is not just a random, blind jab, but a carefully guided placement of medicine. Having this information really helps calm my nerves about this procedure.

So, now that I have gained power through knowledge, I will take a deep breath, cover my eyes and invest in my future health!

My Second Steroidal Epidural Procedure!

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A Patient’s Journey to Pain Relief with OSC Orthopedic Associates

After my initial epidural procedure failed to give me as much pain relief as I was hoping for, Dr Mark McFarland recommended I try a second cortisone procedure before moving to the surgical option to remove the herniated disk.

I head into to see Dr. Raj Sureja for my second cervical epidural – cue dramatic drum rolll please :)

I found this great Youtube video by Dr Sureja explaining the process of injecting cortisone into the spine and why this helps relieve pain:

This time, I am much less anxious about what my experience will be. Knowledge is power, right? I know that I might get dizzy or feel faint, but I also know that the epidural really doesn’t hurt and that it will be over soon.

Dr. Sureja comes in and is his usual gentle and wonderful self.  He decides to do my epidural at a level below the last one, to see if this time, I get some relief from the medication.

I lay down on my stomach on the table and again, during the procedure, I being to feel faint.  I hate the fact that I just get so faint whenever I am scared or feel pain.  Dr. Sureja says it is the Vagus Nerve Reflex that causes this and that it happens to other people as well.  Luckily, this time, I recover from my faintness very quickly and my blood pressure does not drop as low.  After a short waiting period after the procedure, I am released into the care of my long-suffering in-laws, who have again volunteered to pick me up and take me home.

 Pain management specialists Dr Raj Sureja and Dr Jenny Andrus

Dr Raj Sureja with orthopedic colleague, Dr Jenny Andrus of OSC

When I arrive home, I quickly get my ice pack and head for the bed, to lay flat and to ice the injection site.  I pray that I will not get the severe headache that I got last time, so I try to lie still, watch TV and nap.  After a few hours, my husband comes home from work and fixes me dinner.  I am just fine to get up and eat at the table.  Later that evening, I do experience some leg jitters and insomnia. However, these side-effects are nothing compared to those that I experienced after the first epidural.  Hallelujah, no headache, no flushing and no other problems!    The whole experience seemed to go much more smoothly, in large part, because I wasn’t so afraid and I didn’t work myself up before I went to have the injection.  Now, the fun part begins…waiting to see if I feel better.

Next time…..Second Time is a Charm!