Ultrasound Guided Injections Care

What You Need To Know

How ultrasound guidance improves injection accuracy, safety, and results.

Understanding Ultrasound Guided Injections

Diagnostic ultrasound is used today to provide doctors with the ability to see where the injection is going, ensuring that the medication is delivered directly to the exact spot where it is needed.

We all realize that receiving an injection is sometimes necessary to treat specific injuries or conditions. Having the medication delivered directly to the exact location ensures that the medication can provide the best result. Having the ability to see where the injection is going provides a better outcome, and the doctor is able to precisely deliver the medication exactly where it must go.

Diagnostic ultrasound use was first reported in 1958 as a reliable method to evaluate musculoskeletal structures. Since that time, its use has become increasingly popular in the medical world. Today, physicians use ultrasound technology to clearly visualize soft-tissue structures for pending treatment. The tissue most commonly viewed includes tendons, ligaments, and muscle. There are also instances where arteries and nerves are viewed.

By delivering the medication directly where it is needed, ultrasound guidance avoids damaging surrounding tissue or placing the medication in areas where it will be less effective. If you have an injury or condition that may benefit from an injection, the team at Nevada Foot and Ankle can evaluate your foot or ankle and determine whether ultrasound-guided treatment is right for you.

PRP and Ultrasound Guided Delivery

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has received a lot of press lately, especially for helping professional athletes recover from injuries without undergoing surgery and get back into the game. But PRP is not just for professionals; all types of people can benefit as well.

Platelets are a blood component often associated with clotting. However, they also play an important role in recovery, secreting proteins that stimulate cell growth. PRP is plasma with more than the usual concentration of platelets, and the idea is that more platelets will induce more healing. PRP can have five to ten times as many platelets as normal plasma.

To create PRP, clinicians first draw a little blood, then use a centrifuge to separate the platelets from other blood components. This concentrated PRP is then applied to the specific area that needs healing. PRP is often injected into the injury itself to reduce inflammation and promote healing, and it can also be used to help patients heal following surgery.

PRP can be valuable to help repair injured muscles and ligaments and chronic tendon injuries. For those suffering from arthritis, PRP may offer a non-invasive way to reduce pain and increase function.

Though effective, PRP is not instantaneous, and it often takes several weeks for patients to feel the benefits. If you would like to learn whether PRP or another guided injection is right for you, the team at Nevada Foot and Ankle can evaluate your condition and recommend next steps.