The temporomandibular joints are those that connect the lower jaw to the skull and are composed of bone, muscle and joint structures. There are two matching joints, one on each side of the head, located just in front of the ears. These joints are some of the most frequently used joints in the body, put to use when we talk, chew, yawn, swallow and sneeze.
Intra-articular steroid injections are a prescribed line of treatment for relief from joint-pain. Intra-articular injections with local anesthetics or corticosteroids can also be used for the treatment of inflammation in the joint.
Before the procedure, the appropriate steroid is selected after careful consideration of the patient’s pain history. A local anaesthetic (lidocaine 1%) is administered and the steroid is then injected into the joint. Once completed, an iodinated contrast is injected to observe immediate distribution of the steroid and local anaesthetic and confirm which joints are being treated.
