Injections fall in the middle of treatment options as osteoarthritis of the joints progresses.
Types of Injections
Viscosupplementation
known commonly by many names, “gel shots, chicken shots, rooster shots, visco shot”, viscosupplementation injections mainly consist of hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural lubricating substance that originates in cartilage cells. As we age, we lose cartilage cells and the ones that remain make less HA. These work by decreasing pain and swelling, and can be used in combination with other treatments. Currently, most insurance carriers will only cover this injection for knees, but they can also be used for the shoulder and hip.
Cost
- Knees: covered by most insurance plans
- Other joints: $100 per vial, and most joints need two vials. Most insurance plans cover the cost of the procedure to start the medication.
Corticosteroid
Corticosteroids are used to decrease inflammation within soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons) and joints for the purpose of decreasing pain. Injections of corticosteroid can be performed every 12 weeks (3 months) as needed. These injections treat the symptoms only and thus do not slow down or stop arthritis. This can be used on most joints throughout the body, but is more effective on some than others.
Cost: $600 per treatment, covered by most insurance plans
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet Rich Plasma contains concentrated healing and growth factors from the blood that help recruit stem cells and stimulate healing, decrease inflammatory processes and thus improve pain and function. PRP is best deployed alongside a therapy or exercise program and not as a standalone “easy button” for pain relief. That being said, OrthoNebraska has seen some fantastic responses for many conditions in decreasing pain and increasing range of motion across a variety of patients. Because there aren’t yet standard application protocols driven by large scale research, most insurance carriers have deemed PRP as experimental and thus patients must pay the full cost of the treatment.
Cost: $675 per treatment, not covered by insurance
How Injections Work
Watch videos of injections by body part. Any of the above injection types can be performed, with modifications, similar to how the videos below illustrate the general procedure.
