About steroid injections

Steroid injections treat painful conditions of the joints and soft tissues, such as bursitis, tennis elbow, inflammation caused by arthritis, and some nerve problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Steroid injections provide prolonged inflammatory pain relief, particularly when used with your physiotherapist's or osteopath's guidance.

Steroid injections are also known as cortisone injections, Kenacort injections, and corticosteroid injections. The information on this page describes low-dose injections given up to a few times per year.

Steroid injections are generally very safe and well tolerated. Steroid injections are safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Steroid appointments are not directly bookable online; however, you may request a steroid appointment online. You or your referrer can phone or email with your referral form to make a booking for a steroid injection. You can also get in touch if you have further questions about steroid injections.

 

How to prepare for your steroid injection appointment

  • If you are taking any medication, bring that information with you.

  • If you are taking pain relief, please continue to do so, as the steroid injection can take 2-4 days to begin working.

  • If you are not taking pain relief, take Panadol (or seek your doctor's advice) before coming in to help with discomfort after the local anaesthetic wears off. 

  • Wear loose-fitting clothing for easy access to the injury site.

  • Read the Steroid Information below.

What to expect during your steroid injection appointment

How do they work?

Steroid Injections work by delivering a powerful anti-inflammatory directly to the painful area. The steroid may take a few days to become effective but may give sustained relief. Usually, only one injection is required, but sometimes several are required over a number of months to relieve the condition.

What will happen?

We will discuss the procedure & outcomes and provide an opportunity to ask questions; your consent will be required. The doctor will clean and scan the affected area before performing the injection.

What will you feel?

The needle, which is very small, is carefully guided into the area of inflammation. Local anaesthetic is mixed with the steroid so that the area goes numb after the injection.

What to expect after your steroid injection appointment

The local anaesthetic wears off within a few hours, and the injected area may be sorer for 24 to 48 hours. Rest compresses and paracetamol will help relieve this pain. Your doctor may prescribe some oral pain relief or anti-inflammatory medication to take while waiting for the steroid to take effect. Avoid strenuous activity after the procedure, but as a guide, if an activity is not painful before the procedure, it is probably safe to continue after the procedure.

Elderly patients and others receiving hand, elbow and foot injections may require a driver to transport them home afterwards.

If you are not already seeing a physiotherapist or osteopath, a rehabilitation programme commencing a week after the injection will enhance the long-term benefit from the injection.

Potential side effects of your steroid injection

Minor side effects 

Although uncommon, you may experience minor reactions to the injection, such as:

  • Bruising or bleeding at the site of injection is generally minor.

  • People with diabetes may get a transient rise in blood sugar levels and must closely monitor their blood sugar levels over the next few days.

  • Superficial injections may rarely result in thinning or pallor of the skin or local fat loss. This is not painful and mostly returns to normal after a few months.

  • The injection can cause hot flushes, lasting up to a day or two.

More serious side effects

These are all very unlikely but do occur occasionally. Please discuss any concerns about a possible adverse reaction to the injection with your GP.

  • Infection: Infection is very uncommon but may present as pain, heat, redness & swelling. If you feel unwell, you should see your GP immediately.

  • Cartilage and tendon damage: Frequent injections into weight-bearing joints can cause cartilage damage. Injections are rarely put into large tendons, such as the Achilles tendon, in view of concerns that the medication may weaken the tendon.

  • Effects on the rest of the body: The injections' steroids are absorbed over time and are a low dose compared with those taken as pills for medical problems, and side effects are highly unlikely with a single or even a few injections.

  • Other do’s and don’ts after an injection:
    Do keep taking all usual medications unless told otherwise by your doctor.
    Do get immunised as usual.
    You don’t need to alter your alcohol intake, up or down.