Shoulder Injections

Ultrasound-guided injection is a minimally invasive procedure employed to treat several painful musculoskeletal conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and neuritis, as well as to perform cyst aspiration. Additionally, it is an effective tool for guiding needle placement for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Injecting a pain medication combined with a local anesthetic directly into the injury site relieves pain. By utilizing advanced imaging techniques, such as ultrasound, physicians can accurately locate the injection site deep into the target tissue, without affecting the surrounding tissues.

Ultrasound imaging has several advantages over other imaging techniques, such as:

• It does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation.
• It can provide high-resolution visualization of tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
• It allows direct visualization of the targeted area, ensuring accurate needle placement.

Diagnostic ultrasound imaging is indicated for:

• Diagnosing conditions like tendon/ligament tears, inflamed bursa, joint fluid, and cysts.Assessing painful snaps and pops that occur during movement.
• Delivering diagnostic injections to specific targets, including joints and tendon sheaths or bursa.
• Guiding needle placement for patients with anatomical variations or those taking blood-thinning medications during needle aspirations or injections.
• Aspirating ganglion cysts.
• Guiding needles in percutaneous therapy for treating calcific tendonitis.

Procedure:

The diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of this procedure include the use of anti-inflammatory medications like corticosteroids and hyaluronans to alleviate pain, swelling, and inflammation, as well as stimulate synovial fluid production to improve lubrication.

Shoulder joint injections are a common treatment for conditions such as osteoarthritis, frozen shoulder, or tendonitis. The injection's application site depends on the condition being treated and can be administered anteriorly, posteriorly, superiorly, or inferiorly.

During an ultrasound-guided injection, the patient will be asked to lie or sit on a table depending on the injection site. The doctor will apply a clear, water-based conducting gel to the skin to enhance sound wave transmission. A hand-held probe called a transducer is used to emit sound waves and detect echoes from the tissue. These echoes are transformed into images that are displayed on a video monitor attached to the scanner. This technology provides a clear view of the targeted area, enabling the doctor to locate the correct site for injection.