Ultrasound guided injection

What is an ultrasound guided injection?

An ultrasound guided injection relieves acute (sudden) or chronic (ongoing) pain and treats swelling. You will get an injection (shot) of anesthesia, a steroid or a mixture of both into the area that is bothering you. Ultrasound pictures are used to find the exact location for the injection.

The ultrasound helps your doctor locate where the needle should enter the skin. This spot will be cleaned and marked. The doctor will inject local anesthesia to numb your skin. Next, the anesthetic, steroid or a mixture of both will be injected. This may cause some mild pain.

Why do I need an ultrasound guided injection?

These injections may be used to:

  • relieve pain from some medical conditions (arthritis, tendintis).
  • remove fluid from an area near a joint or to stop the fluid from coming back.
  • manage pain before surgery.
  • manage pain if you are not medically able to have surgery.