Treating Tendonitis with the Help of Ultrasound: Innovative Injectable Therapies

Studies have shown that approximately 30% of total patient visits for musculoskeletal involve tendon injuries, including tendinitis. With ultrasound guidance specialized radiologists can effectively address tendinitis through injectable therapies. The ultrasound-guided conditions treatments for tendon disorders include:

Corticosteroid Injection into the tendon sheath
Dry Needling of Tendons
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection

How crucial is ultrasound guidance in an injection?

Extremely crucial. An injection guided by ultrasound provides a very precise way to deliver treatment to a specific point. This level of precision is particularly critical in cases where targeting the exact pain point is essential, avoiding injury to blood vessels and nerves. Unlike blind injections, ultrasound-guided injections offer absolute accuracy and safety by visualizing the needle's path in real-time.

Corticosteroid Injection into the tendon sheath

Corticosteroid injection suppresses inflammation around the tendon, providing immediate relief from pain and swelling. The precision of these injections is of the outmost importance, as they must be administered into the tendon sheath and not the tendon's body, to prevent damage and rupture.

Ultrasound machines ensure the necessary precision by guiding the needle with simultaneous imaging, delivering the medication exactly where it is needed. Apart from avoiding the interior of the tendon, the precision offered by imaging ensures that the treatment is even more effective.

Tendon Dry Needling

Dry Needling is a modern, minimally invasive technique involving micro-punctures or "needling" of the tendon. The goal is to disrupt the chronic degenerative process, encouraging a therapeutic response through local bleeding and fibroblast production. This reaction leads to the healing and restoration of tendinitis-affected area.

The technique is named Dry Needling to emphasize that the needle placement in the tendon is the main reason for its improvement, rather than any medication used. Tendon needling is safe and has a low risk compared to more invasive procedures.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection

PRP injection is a revolutionary treatment for chronic injuries, relying on Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP). Platelets contain growth factors crucial for tissue reproduction and healing. By concentrating platelets in PRP the goal is to deliver a higher concentration of these factors to the affected area and promote the healing of the injury.

The technique involves taking a small amount of the patient's blood, centrifuging it to separate the platelet-rich plasma and then injecting it, guided by ultrasound, into the injury site. To further enhance therapeutic results, PRP is combined with Dry Needling, which is performed before the plasma injection.