Joint Injection Therapy for Chronic Pain in Granada Hills, CA
If medication and physical therapy haven’t provided the relief you need, targeted joint injections may be the solution. At Modern Pain Solutions, Dr. Jungjae Lim offers precision-guided injection therapies to help patients throughout Granada Hills and the San Fernando Valley reduce pain, restore function, and return to the activities they enjoy — all without surgery.
What Are Joint Injections?
Joint injection therapy is a minimally invasive treatment approach that delivers targeted pain-relieving or healing agents directly into or around an affected joint. At Modern Pain Solutions in Granada Hills, CA , Dr. Lim uses advanced imaging guidance — including fluoroscopy (X-ray guidance) — to ensure each injection is placed with pinpoint accuracy. This precision maximizes the therapeutic benefit while minimizing discomfort and recovery time.
Joint injections can be applied to virtually any joint in the body, including the knees, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, and the small joints of the hands and feet. They are often performed as outpatient procedures, allowing patients to return home the same day with minimal downtime.
Types of Injection Therapies We Offer
At Modern Pain Solutions, we offer a comprehensive range of injection-based treatments to address different types of joint and spinal pain:
- Corticosteroid (Steroid) Injections: Anti-inflammatory injections that quickly reduce swelling and pain within a joint. Commonly used for arthritis, bursitis, and inflammatory conditions in the knee, hip, and shoulder.
- Epidural Steroid Injections: Delivered into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord, these injections reduce nerve inflammation caused by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or sciatica. A cornerstone of our Back & Neck Pain treatment.
- Facet Joint Injections: Targeted injections into the small joints along the spine that help diagnose and relieve pain caused by facet joint arthritis or degeneration.
- Medial Branch Nerve Blocks: Injections that block pain signals from the small nerves supplying the facet joints — used both diagnostically and therapeutically.
- Viscosupplementation (Hyaluronic Acid Injections): Injections that restore lubrication inside the knee joint, particularly beneficial for patients with osteoarthritis who want to delay or avoid surgery.
- Trigger Point Injections: Injections into tightened, painful muscle knots (trigger points) that contribute to localized or referred pain patterns.
- Sympathetic Nerve Blocks: Used to manage pain conditions involving the sympathetic nervous system, including complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
- Stellate Ganglion Blocks: Injections near a nerve cluster in the neck used to treat certain pain syndromes and related conditions.
- Peripheral Nerve Blocks: Targeted injections that interrupt pain signals along specific peripheral nerves, providing relief for extremity pain.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: A regenerative therapy using your own concentrated blood platelets to promote natural healing. Learn more about our PRP Therapy.
- Intradiscal Injections: Specialized injections delivered directly into a damaged spinal disc to provide targeted relief from discogenic pain.
Benefits of Injection-Based Pain Management
Compared to long-term oral medication regimens or surgical interventions, targeted injection therapies offer several meaningful advantages:
- Precise, localized delivery of therapeutic agents to the exact site of pain
- Rapid onset of relief — many patients notice improvement within days
- Minimal to no recovery time — most patients return to normal activity the same day
- Reduced reliance on oral pain medications, including opioids
- Can serve both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes
- Safe and well-tolerated when performed by an experienced, board-certified specialist
What Conditions Can Be Treated with Injections?
Dr. Lim uses injection therapies to treat a wide variety of acute and chronic pain conditions, including:
- Arthritis of the knee, hip, shoulder, and spine
- Herniated discs and sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet joint syndrome
- Bursitis and tendinitis
- Rotator cuff injuries — see our Shoulder Pain page
- Hip and knee pain — see our Hip & Knee Pain page
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Post-injury pain from auto accidents or personal injuries — see our Personal Injury page
What to Expect During Your Injection Appointment
Most injection procedures at Modern Pain Solutions are completed in under an hour. The treatment area will be cleaned and, in many cases, a local anesthetic will be applied before the injection to minimize discomfort. Using imaging guidance, Dr. Lim will carefully position the needle and deliver the therapeutic agent to the precise target location. Patients typically rest briefly after the procedure before being released. Some soreness at the injection site is normal and typically resolves within a day or two.
Dr. Lim will discuss how many injections may be needed, what results to expect, and how to maximize the benefits of your treatment as part of your overall care plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pain Injections
Are pain injections the same as steroid shots?
Not all pain injections are steroid injections. While corticosteroid injections are one of the most common types used to reduce inflammation, Modern Pain Solutions also offers viscosupplementation, PRP injections, nerve blocks, and other injection therapies that do not involve steroids. The best type of injection for your condition will depend on your diagnosis, the location of your pain, and your overall health and goals.
How quickly do joint injections work?
The timeline for relief depends on the type of injection administered. Corticosteroid injections often provide noticeable relief within a few days to a week as inflammation decreases. PRP injections take longer — relief typically develops gradually over several weeks as the healing process progresses. Dr. Lim will give you a realistic expectation for your specific treatment during your consultation.
How many injections will I need?
The number of injections required varies based on the condition being treated, the type of injection, and your individual response to treatment. Some patients experience significant relief after a single injection, while others benefit from a series of treatments. Dr. Lim will create a personalized treatment plan that outlines a recommended schedule and monitors your progress over time.
Is there any downtime after an injection procedure?
Most patients experience minimal to no downtime following a joint injection. You can typically return to light daily activities the same day. Dr. Lim may recommend avoiding strenuous activity or heavy exercise for 24–48 hours after the procedure. Any injection-site soreness usually resolves quickly and can be managed with ice and over-the-counter pain relievers as needed.
Can injections be used alongside other pain treatments?
Yes. Injection therapies are often used as part of a broader, multimodal pain management strategy. They may be combined with physical therapy, regenerative medicine, neuromodulation, or minimally invasive spine procedures to achieve the best possible outcome for each patient.
Are pain injections covered by insurance?
Many injection therapies are covered by insurance when deemed medically necessary. Modern Pain Solutions works with a variety of insurance plans and can help guide you through the prior authorization and coverage process. We also work with personal injury and lien-based cases. Contact our office at (818) 826-4145 for more information about your specific coverage.
Who performs the injections at Modern Pain Solutions?
All injection procedures at Modern Pain Solutions are performed by Dr. Jungjae Lim, MD — a double ABMS board-certified specialist in pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Dr. Lim brings extensive fellowship training and years of experience using advanced imaging-guided techniques to safely deliver injection therapies with precision and care.