Faqs

Where are you located?

We have two locations.

104 Saluda Pointe Drive Lexington SC on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday in Suite A.
101 Business Park Blvd Columbia, SC on Wednesdays in Suite E.

Each insurance plan has different coverage, but we are more than happy to look into it for you to estimate how much you will pay out of pocket for a procedure, office visit, x-rays, etc.

NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen may reduce inflammation and pain. These are usually the first choice for joint pain. These medications can irritate the stomach lining and cause internal bleeding. They should be taken with food. Consult with your doctor before taking over-the-counter NSAIDs if you have a history of ulcers or are taking blood thinning medication.

Cortisone, viscosupplementation, and fluid aspiration are the three main types of injections we conduct in the office. Cortisone can be injected into almost any of the joints while viscosupplements are only for the knee joint.

Cortisone injections are a powerful anti-inflammatory medication that once injected into the joint will offer fast-acting relief of inflamed muscles, joints, tendons, and bursa.

The effect is temporary and has a different effect on each patient. It can offer relief for a few days or a few months depending on the patient. You can receive a new injection every 3 months per joint.

Viscosupplements or gel injections, are a series of injections that the provider will inject into the knee joint once a week for 3 weeks. A gel-like fluid called hyaluronic acid acts as a lubricant to allow the bones to move smoothly over each other to reduce grinding. The hyaluronic acid helps facilitate movement and reduce pain in the joint. There are a variety of brands we use, including Orthovisc, Hyalgan, Synvisc, Euflexxa, and others.

Unless you have Medicare, authorization from your insurance will be required to start a series. Most of the time your insurance company will want you to try a cortisone injection, physical therapy, and NSAIDs before approval is granted.

Yes, you may return to work after an injection. You may be instructed to avoid straining the effected joint for the next day or so.

Stop doing the activities that aggravate the condition. Switch from high impact activities to low impact activities. Using the RICE method is also recommended You can wear shoes that appropriate to your activities. Warm up thoroughly before physical activity. Incorporate stretching and flexibility exercises. Increase training gradually and maintain a healthy body weight.

Physical therapy will help increase your range of motion, flexibility, strength in your muscles, and help reduce any stiffness you are feeling. It will be beneficial to restoring normal function and movement. We typically recommend going 2-3 times a week for 4-6 weeks.

Driving after receiving an injection is ultimately decided by the patient. As long as you feel comfortable controlling your vehicle and operating the gas and brake pedals then you may drive after an appointment. You should not drive if you are taking any sort of pain medication.

If the surgery is performed on your left leg, you may expect to drive one week after your surgery if you are off all narcotic medications. If the surgery is on your right leg, you may not be able to drive for three to five weeks depending upon the individual. Driving with automatic transmission (as compared to manual transmission) is recommended. You should not drive if you are taking any pain medication.

After surgery, you will feel some pain. This is natural and part of healing. Pain is very manageable with narcotic pain medications for the first few days. Narcotic pain medications may be necessary for up to 2 weeks for the average person. You may also take anti-inflammatory medicines (Aleve, Advil, Ibuprofen, etc.) with the narcotic medicines after surgery.

A brace may be necessary for up to 3 to 6 weeks after your surgery depending on the recommendations of your physician and the type of surgery you had. It is very important to remain in the brace at all times until further instructed by your surgeon at your post-operative appointments.

A sling will be necessary for up to 3 to 6 weeks after your surgery depending on the size of rotator cuff tear and the recommendations of your physician. It is very important to remain in the sling at all times until further instructed by your surgeon

Please provide our office with any forms from work that need to be addressed. The time required to complete these forms is reduced if you answer the non-medical questions (name, address, employer information, date of injury, etc.) prior to turning them over to us. There is a $20 fee for any disability form to be completed. We also must have a signed medical release on file to send any patient information to an employer.

Most patients hopefully will experience no complications and enjoy a rewarding return to regular activities. Most complications are minor and include discomfort, areas of skin numbness, minor loss of motion, persistent swelling, or occasional pain. More severe and less frequent complications include infection, medical complications from anesthesia, blood clots, severe loss of motion necessitating additional surgery, residual pain, progression of arthritis, or nerve injury. In the event that you have a post-operative complication, please call our office immediately at 803-296-9320.

You may be given Aspirin 325mg-take 1 tablet daily for 2 weeks to help with preventing any blood clots. Also, you will be given a prescription for promethazine (phenergan) or Zofran- to take as needed for increased nausea/vomiting. Depending on the type of surgery you will be given 1 or 2 pain medications.