Benefits of this service
Why do I need an injection?
A corticosteroid injection has been suggested as part of the care of your condition. These injections are often used to help joint pain and swelling that has not responded to simple anti-inflammatory medication. Corticosteroid injections are also used for treating tendon problems that are painful. In some circumstances an injection may not be the best treatment and in these cases, other treatment options will be discussed.
What is injected?
A corticosteroid is a medication that helps to reduce inflammation and pain in the joint or soft tissue. The corticosteroid is often mixed with a local anaesthetic to reduce the pain associated with your condition. An injected corticosteroid acts mainly in the area injected and does not have the same effects as taking oral steroids.
Please note: You should not have the injection if you have a known allergy to either the corticosteroid or local anaesthetic. It is important to let your clinician know if you have had a previous reaction to corticosteroid or local anaesthetic. It is also important to let your clinician know if you have any other known allergies. Patients who have diabetes may find that their blood sugar levels need closer monitoring over the few days following a corticosteroid injection. If you are pregnant, you should let the clinician know as you may not be able to have the injection. Corticosteroid injections can cause tendons to rupture. The injection may also make your pain worse which could be for a few days or a few weeks or more, but it is impossible to be exact. If the injection is near a tendon and you are known to have a tendon tear there is a small increased risk of causing a complete tendon rupture. However, there is still a small risk of complete tendon rupture in patients without tendon tears. The injections may also affect your mood. If you suffer with a mental health condition, corticosteroids may affect this for a while, but it is difficult to be precise. This can be discussed with your clinician.
How is the corticosteroid injection given?
If you agree to have the injection, you will be asked to sit or lie down on a couch or chair. The area to be injected will then be cleaned with antiseptic. The clinician will check the medication and dose to be injected then draw up the corticosteroid and local anaesthetic into the syringe. This will then be injected into the joint or soft tissue as needed. Corticosteroid injections can also be given without local anaesthetic. A plaster is then placed over the injection site to keep it clean. This can be removed the following day.
What can I expect after having the injection?
The procedure takes a few minutes, but you may be asked to wait in clinic for 20-30 minutes to check that you do not have an allergic reaction to the corticosteroid. The local anaesthetic, if used, works within a few minutes and you may feel some numbness. This will last for a few hours. Some patients report an increase in pain after their injection, this is called steroid flare up pain. This is normal and is due to the local anaesthetic wearing off and the corticosteroid starting to work. Simple pain relief such as paracetamol can help. You can expect the injection to start working over the next few days and continue to work for a few months. The effects may not last forever. Some patients report a good effect for up to 6 months after the injection, while others feel their symptoms return after a few weeks. Other patients have reported that they did not notice any benefit from the injection or that the pain is worse.
What do I need to do after having the injection?
You will be advised about what is most appropriate for you. The advice may include exercises which will be fully explained to you. To gain the best effect from the injection, please follow the instructions you are given.
What happens next?
If you feel that a soft tissue / joint corticosteroid injection may be beneficial for you, please feel free to book online, or by giving us a call.
If you have further enquiries regarding the injection, feel free to complete our 'contact us' form, or you can call our team who will be available to help with your enquiry.