Infiltrations are injections of a medicinal fluid made into the joint (intra-articular infiltration) or into the space surrounding the joint (periarticular infiltration).
The amount of infiltration to be performed depends on the type of problem to be solved: in some cases a single infiltration is sufficient, while in others a cycle of between three and four infiltrations performed between two and four weeks apart is required. Infiltrations can be performed by different specialists.
Infiltrations are recommended to treat: non-infectious arthritis, arthrosis, confropathy, capsulitis, bursitis, radicular syndromes, fibrositis, tenosynovitis, enthesopathy but also, in some specific cases, for gonarthrosis, spondylosis, coxarthrosis, rhizarthrosis, or mild arthrosis of the shoulder .
There are cases, however, in which making the infiltration is not possible, these are in fact situations where joint or periarticular infections are present, where there is the presence of a blood effusion in the joints, or where there are dermatological issues such as erythema, pustules, or signs of psoriasis.
On the other hand, regarding the drugs that are injected during infiltrations, the most common are: local anesthetics (lidocaine) for periarticular infiltrations – pain-relieving purposes, cortisone drugs for intra-articular or periarticular infiltrations – anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving purposes, hyaluronic acid for intraarticular infiltrations – viscosupplementation.
Infiltrations are primarily aimed at lasting pain reduction, improved joint mobility, and reduced joint effusion.
