Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat various ankle conditions.
Several types of injections can be used to diagnose and treat back pain. In many cases, injections are used for both purposes at the same time. Alternatively, some patients receive an injection with a purely diagnostic or therapeutic intent.
The spine contains many closely positioned nerves and joints. Imaging may not always identify the pain source, so diagnostic injections can help pinpoint the affected nerve or joint. Guided by X-ray (fluoroscopy), a needle is placed in a specific area—if pain relief follows, that spot is likely inflamed or pinched.
For treatment, injections deliver medication directly to the painful area, often combining a numbing agent and a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation when oral meds aren’t effective.
The main types of injections that are used to diagnose and treat spinal conditions include:
While it’s only necessary to diagnose a condition once, therapeutic injections can sometimes be provided in a series. Depending on a patient’s needs, two or three back pain injections may be performed over the span of several months. Therapeutic injections are usually used along with physical therapy, stability exercises, oral medications or lifestyle changes.
