What To Expect During An Injection

Prior to your procedure, you will need to discontinue any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications you may be taking, as this can diminish the effectiveness of the injection. Similarly, any blood-thinning medications will also need to be halted unless otherwise instructed by your doctor for at least three days prior to your treatment. These medications can be resumed the evening after treatment.

During a lipoaspirate injection, we will start out by providing you with a local anesthetic to numb the area. Then, your doctor will pull a small amount of fat tissue from your abdomen, buttock or hip area with a small needle. This process is very similar to a cosmetic liposuction treatment and has even been called a “mini-liposuction” due to these similarities. The resulting liquid, the lipoaspirate, will contain within it a sample of stem cells that can be used to boost your natural healing process.

Your doctor will then take the lipoaspirate and utilize a closed system device to micro-fragment the fat tissue into a size that can then be injected directly into the injured joint or tissue to decrease inflammation and kick-start the healing process.

What To Expect After An Injection

After your treatment, it’s normal to experience some discomfort or pain in the affected area for a few days after the local anesthetic wears off, generally between 2-6 hours after the procedure. In a lipoaspirate injection, some bleeding from the harvest site is also perfectly normal. Just be sure to keep the dressing in place and do not get the area wet for three days (72 hours after the procedure).

Avoid strenuous activities or extreme movements for at least two weeks after your injection to give the area time to heal and for the stem cells to activate and get to work. Continue to avoid anti-inflammatory medications for at least four weeks post-treatment. However, Tylenol or prescription medication provided for pain can be used to minimize any discomfort. You may also choose to ice the area for twenty minutes at a time for immediate relief.

If you would like to learn more about lipoaspirate injections, or to determine if this is the right regenerative treatment for you, call our offices at (540) 232-8405 or schedule your first consultation online. We look forward to hearing from you!