---
title: "Joint Injections"
---
## What Joint Injections Do
Joint injections deliver medication directly into a joint to reduce inflammation, lubricate the joint, or stimulate tissue repair. The right injection depends on what is causing your pain.
**Corticosteroid injections** reduce inflammation in the joint. They produce relatively fast relief, typically within a few days, that lasts weeks to months. They are the most established option for sudden flare-ups of arthritis, bursitis, or post-injury inflammation.
**Hyaluronic acid injections** (commonly known as viscosupplementation, with Orthovisc as the product option for the knee) replenish the natural lubricating fluid in a joint that has been depleted by arthritis. Used primarily for knee osteoarthritis, the relief is slower to start than cortisone but typically lasts longer.
**Regenerative injections** (PRP, A2M, stem cell therapy) use your body's own healing factors or biologic preparations to support tissue repair rather than just reducing inflammation. Relief takes longer to develop but addresses the underlying degeneration rather than the symptom alone.
Your physician will recommend which option fits based on your imaging, symptom pattern, prior treatments, and goals.
## How the Procedure Works
Joint injections are performed in our affiliated surgical suite under ultrasound guidance. Image guidance significantly improves accuracy compared to landmark-based injections, particularly for joints like the hip and shoulder where the target is deep or difficult to feel from the surface.
You are positioned comfortably, and the injection site is cleaned and numbed with a local anesthetic. The physician advances a thin needle into the joint, confirms position with imaging, and delivers the medication. The procedure typically takes 10 to 15 minutes.
You leave the same day. Most patients drive themselves home and return to most activities within 24 to 48 hours.
## Three Joints We Treat
## Orthovisc and Hyaluronic Acid for Knee Arthritis
Orthovisc is a hyaluronic acid product used specifically for treating knee osteoarthritis. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the synovial fluid that lubricates and cushions your knee. In an arthritic knee, this fluid becomes depleted and less effective.
Hyaluronic acid injections replenish this lubricating fluid. The relief develops gradually over several weeks rather than immediately, but typically lasts longer than a corticosteroid injection. Many patients report relief lasting six months or more from a single course.
At PHI, the hyaluronic acid product used for the knee is Orthovisc. Your physician will recommend the dosing schedule that fits your knee. Hyaluronic acid is most appropriate for patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis who want longer-lasting relief than cortisone provides, or who want to avoid the cumulative effects of repeated steroid injections. It is less effective for end-stage arthritis where the cartilage damage is severe.
## When Joint Injections Are the Right Option
For patients with significant degeneration, your physician may recommend skipping cortisone and starting with a regenerative protocol instead. Repeated cortisone injections in a degenerating joint can accelerate cartilage loss in some cases. A regenerative approach addresses the tissue rather than the symptom.
## Why Patients Choose PHI for Joint Injections
## What to Expect: Before, During, and After
## Frequently Asked Questions
**Q: How many cortisone joint injections can I have?**
Cortisone injections in the same joint can have cumulative effects on cartilage and surrounding tissue, so they are spaced and monitored. If you require frequent injections to control pain, your physician will discuss longer-lasting options including hyaluronic acid or regenerative protocols.
**Q: How long does the relief last?**
Cortisone typically provides relief lasting weeks to several months. Hyaluronic acid in the knee often provides relief lasting six months or longer. Regenerative options work over a longer time horizon, and the duration depends on how well the underlying tissue responds.
**Q: Will I be awake during the procedure?**
Yes. Joint injections are performed under local anesthesia. You remain awake throughout.
**Q: Is the injection painful?**
Most patients describe a brief stinging or pressure sensation rather than pain. The local anesthetic numbs the skin along the needle path, and the injection itself is quick.
**Q: Will I be able to drive home?**
Yes. Most patients drive themselves home.
**Q: Should I choose cortisone, hyaluronic acid, or PRP?**
This depends on your specific joint, the severity of your condition, your goals, and your prior treatment history. Cortisone is fastest but cumulative. Hyaluronic acid is longer-lasting but limited primarily to the knee. PRP and other regenerative options address the tissue rather than the symptom. Your physician will recommend the right option after a full evaluation, and patients sometimes use these in sequence or combination.
**Q: Will an injection delay or avoid surgery?**
For some patients, yes. Patients with mild to moderate arthritis can often delay joint replacement for years through a combination of injections, physical therapy, and lifestyle adjustments. Patients with severe end-stage arthritis may eventually need surgery regardless. Your physician will give you an honest assessment based on your imaging and symptoms.
**Q: Is hyaluronic acid (Orthovisc) covered by insurance?**
Insurance coverage and payment options may vary. We provide documentation for you to seek reimbursement through your out-of-network benefits, which may apply to certain services. All pricing is disclosed at consultation.
**Q: What are the risks?**
Joint injections are well-established procedures with strong safety profiles when performed under image guidance. Risks include temporary increase in pain, bleeding or infection at the injection site, and rare allergic reactions. Cortisone has additional considerations including temporary blood sugar elevation in patients with diabetes. Your physician will review the full risk profile at consultation.
**Q: How is a joint injection different from PRP or stem cell therapy?**
A standard joint injection delivers medication, cortisone or hyaluronic acid, to reduce inflammation or replenish lubrication. PRP and stem cell therapy use biologic preparations to support tissue repair and address the underlying degeneration. They take longer to produce results but work on the cause rather than the symptom. Many patients use them in combination or sequence.
**Q: How much does a joint injection cost at PHI?**
Insurance coverage and payment options may vary. All pricing is disclosed at consultation.
**Q: Do you accept international patients?**
Yes. PHI regularly treats patients from outside Los Angeles, including Las Vegas, Palm Springs, London, and other international locations.
> Efficacy and safety of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and PRP and combination therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Peer-reviewed via PMC, 2023.
— [Qiao X, et al.](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10687893/)
> Intra-articular hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis. Peer-reviewed via PubMed, 2015.
— [Wang F, et al.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25574222/)
> Less pain with intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections for knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Peer-reviewed via PMC, 2024.
— [Migliorini F, et al.](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11597132/)
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