I had my hip injection this morning, and it was so much easier than I had expected.
It was done by a radiologist under fluoroscopy, so I hadn't met the doc before. According to my nurse, Dave, I had the best one because he never hesitated with the needle. It was true: all the prep beforehand, the consent form, the antiseptic wipedown, the injection of the local, took ages longer than the actual steroid injection. When it was time for that, the doctor just slid the needle in, pushed the steroid/anaesthetic mixture, and pulled it out again. (And he was friendly, too.) The actual injection took about 10 seconds.
I watched everything on the screen above my head, which was kind of cool, although I didn't learn much. I thought maybe I'd be able to tell how good or bad my hip looked, but since I don't really know what a "healthy" hip looks like, it wasn't much use.
For now, my hip feels a bit bruise-y, but it's pleasantly free of the sharp pain I've had lately. It's been getting steadily worse, so I hope this stuff does what it's supposed to do. It will be just in time for spring, and I can't wait to celebrate with bike-riding, hiking, and an upcoming weekend wandering in Toronto with friends.
EDIT: Just because you feel great while your joint is still frozen doesn't mean you should throw common sense to the wind and go for a giant hike. Especially when you were told explicitly to take it easy for a day or two. You will regret this when the anaesthetic wears off.
4 comments:
As someone who is deeply troubled by my hips, this is good to know. I've always said the prep is far worse than the actual potential cure. I hope this works for you and look forward to hearing either way. Hugs. T
I'm glad the injection was helpful so quickly for you, Helen. Had to laugh at the edit - that's the kind of thing I'd do. Hope you're not too sore.
I'v had those injections in my neck,back,and knees. the part I like the best is the anaesthetic.Instant relief! I hope the shots work as good for you as they do for me.
I'm really hoping I'm NOT going to need another one of these 'in the joint' injections, but it's really, really good to know that they can be relatively quick and painless. Thanks so much for posting that! :-)
LOL re the edit - I can quite see why you'd do that when you suddenly feel better ... but yeah, maybe not the best plan in the long run!
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