Office Hours: 8 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday
Call Us: (604) 249-4145
Office Hours: 8 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday
Call Us: (604) 249-4145
If you are scheduled for a musculoskeletal (MSK) injection, your clinician may use ultrasound guidance to ensure the treatment is as effective and comfortable as possible. Unlike traditional injections, this method allows your doctor to see “inside” your body in real-time.
Traditional injections rely on a doctor feeling your bones and muscles to find the right spot. With ultrasound guidance, we use a small probe and gel to project a live image of your anatomy onto a screen. This allows us to guide the needle with pinpoint accuracy directly into the joint, bursa, or tendon sheath.
Accuracy: We can see the medication entering the exact area of inflammation.
Safety: The live “GPS” view helps us avoid hitting nerves, blood vessels, or other sensitive structures.
Comfort: Most patients find these injections less painful because the target is reached precisely on the first attempt.
Diagnostic Value: During the scan, we can often identify the specific source of your pain (like a hidden tear or fluid buildup).
Scanning: A cool gel is applied to your skin, and the ultrasound probe is used to locate the target.
The Injection: While watching the screen, the clinician carefully inserts the needle. You may feel a brief pinch or pressure.
Rest: Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for 24–48 hours.
Soreness: It is normal to feel a temporary increase in soreness (a “flare”) for a day or two. Applying an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time can help.
Results: While some relief may be immediate, injected products have variable times to reach full effect. For example, cortisone injections typically take 3-7 days to reach full effect.