What are steroid injections?

Steroid injections are a common medical procedure when an experienced, qualified practitioner administers a steroid into an inflamed area of tissue or joint. Steroids are naturally occurring anti-inflammatory in your body but medically produced can be added to a specific area to offer a very effective treatment.

How is the procedure performed?

Health and safety is of the most importance, the medication is specifically chosen for you and constructed in sterile environment with a combination of steroids and local anaesthetic. This is to minimise your pain but to optimise the results of the procedure. You will be fully informed of the procedure, risks and consent is required. The clinician will ensure your comfort and relaxed before they insert a needle into the joint or surrounding tissue. This is done in an aseptic technique to reduce the risks of any infection. The procedure should take no more than a few minutes.

Why have a steroid injection?

Muscle and joint pain is common and normally resolves with rest and time, on occasions areas of inflammation can cause persistent pain and disability. This can be caused by acute issues such as sports injuries, tendon strain and tissue inflammation. However chronic joint pain can be linked to degeneration, arthritis, auto-immune conditions and chronic pain conditions. A steroid injection can be an effective treatment in helping to reduce inflammation and pain for extended periods of time. We would always recommend exercise and physiotherapy is a great addition to this treatment. Where other treatments have failed, when pain medications have side effects or interact with you steroid injections can add medication to the point of pain. Conditions that may benefit from steroid injection are Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Gout, Bursitis, Joint pain and Tendonitis.

How long does it take to work and are there side effects?

The combination of steroid and local anaesthetic allows the patient to have some pain relief within an hour, the anaesthetic will wear off and you should expect to see some improvement on the inflammation within 1 week. For many patients they see great result giving long periods of relief but we cannot guarantee the duration of the treatment. You can have up to 3 injections per year if you find they are of benefit. You may feel that the joint is generally stiffer for the first few days, this is normal and will ease off. Side effects and risks are rare, repeated use of steroids has been linked with thinning or bones and connective tissue and in very rare cases can caused rupture of tendons. Infection is a risk with any procedure and we try our best to minimise that risk, we give you a post treatment advice sheet on what to expect and when to call for support.

Shoulder

Shoulder pain is a common presentation and can be caused by injury or degeneration. Steroid injections are very effective in the treatment for rotator cuff syndrome, adhesive capsulitis (Frozen shoulder), osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis and tendonitis of shoulder.

Elbow

Elbow pain is a complex presentation because although it can come from degeneration and arthritis more common causes are Bursitis (inflamed bursa) or epicondylitis (tennis/golfers elbow). The steroid injection is tailored specific for you and the cause of you pain.

Hand/wrist

Common causes are degeneration and arthritis to wrist and hand, the carpometacarpal is a small structure at base of thumb that presents with pain and can cause issues with function of the hand. De-quervains syndrome is tendonitis of the tendon of the thumb. Steroid injections can be very effective in the treatment. Additional specialist injections for trigger thumb/finger can be offered and could be an alternative to surgery.

Hip

We currently offer injections to external joint around the trochanteric bursa. This is common caused by excessive hip movement and responds very well to steroid injection and rest. Physiotherapy is also recommended to give best results. We do not at this time provide ultrasound guided injection to internal hip joint.

Knee

Knee arthritis is the most common area of degeneration and not only see as we age this can be cause by genetics and occupational causes. Bursitis and tendonitis are common causes too that all respond very well to steroid injections. Foot/ankle Foot and ankle pain can be debilitating and difficult to recover from steroid injections can be effective in some conditions such as degeneration, arthritis and tendonitis. But we also can offer specialist injections for the treatment for planter fasciitis and Morton’s neuroma both of which are extremely difficult to treat.

Steroid injections for hay fever allergies are not licenced in the UK and we do not offer off license.