Bursa Injection
Bursa injections may be right for you if you are experiencing joint pain in the elbow, wrist, knee or ankle.
What are the anticipated benefits?
A single Bursa Injection can help determine the pain source and may provide long-term or permanent relief. If the symptoms return, additional injections can be given a few months apart.
How does it work?
A Bursa Injection takes 20-30 minutes.
You will be positioned on a special table in our Diagnostic and Therapeutic Injections (DTI) suite. The C-arm (a special x-ray machine) can be rotated to allow the radiologist to monitor the injection to make sure he is precise in targeting the pain source. In addition, the table can be easily rotated to help the contrast dye move to the area of interest.
Our radiologist will insert a thin needle containing contrast material into the center of the bursa thought to be causing your pain. He will inject the contrast material to help highlight what is happening in your joint and ensure proper needle placement.
Then, he will slowly release a combination of anti-inflammatory (steroid) and anesthetic (numbing) medications into the bursa to decrease inflammation and relieve the pain.
Are there any risks or negative side affects?
Complication rates with Bursa Injections are very low.
As with all injection procedures, the contrast dye contains iodine, so patients with a known allergy to iodine may have an adverse reaction. However, because the contrast is injected into a joint and not a vein, allergic reactions are rare.
The steroid medications used to treat the pain may cause facial flushing, occasional low-grade fevers, hiccups, insomnia, headaches, water retention, increased appetite, increased heart rate, and abdominal cramping or bloating. These side effects are bothersome in only about 5% of patients and commonly disappear within 1-3 days after the injection.
Women should always inform their physician or CDI technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant or breast feeding.
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