Joint and soft tissue injections
For a painful, inflamed joint or tissue. Steroid calms inflammation and eases the symptoms, but it does not remove the cause.
What is this injection?
An injected steroid is a man-made medicine that calms inflammation in the same way as the body’s own steroids, and pain eases as inflammation settles. The doctor injects it into a joint or the tissue near it. A local anaesthetic is sometimes added, and ultrasound is sometimes used to guide the needle.
Who is it for?
- A joint with severe osteoarthritis pain, when short-term relief is needed
- Joint inflammation in rheumatic conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, when a night splint has not helped
- Some soft tissue pain around a joint, after an examination
Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, but it does not always get worse. Regular exercise and losing any extra weight are the base of treatment, and an injection makes sense alongside them.
What should you expect?
Some steroids work within hours and last about a week. Others take around a week to work and can ease symptoms for two months or longer. In carpal tunnel syndrome an injection is not always a cure, and symptoms can return after a few months.
Stay at the clinic for 10 to 15 minutes afterwards. If you had a local anaesthetic, arrange a lift, because numbness can last up to 24 hours.
Do not overuse the joint for the first two weeks, because of the risk of tendon damage. Then gradually return to your exercises.
Side effects
Most people have none. Joint pain may flare in the first 24 hours and usually settles in a day or two. The skin at the site may thin or change colour. Periods and mood may change for a while.
Joint infection is very rare but serious. If the joint becomes hot and more painful, see a doctor at once.
Who should take extra care?
- Diabetes: blood sugar rises for a few days and needs checking more often.
- Blood thinners: tell your doctor. You may need a blood test.
- Infection: the injection is not given if you have an infection, especially at the site.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: talk to your doctor first.
- Vaccines: check the timing of the injection against your vaccinations.
Doctors usually advise no more than three injections into the same area in a year, because repeated injections can damage tissue.
Frequently asked questions
Does the injection repair cartilage?
No. Steroid only eases the symptoms and does not treat the cause of the condition.
Do I need complete rest afterwards?
No. Just avoid overusing the joint for the first two weeks, then return to exercise gradually.
Are other injections such as PRP offered?
The list of injections the doctor performs will be announced after the doctor confirms it.
The first step is hearing your story.
Go to the booking page or talk to the support team. Have your scans, reports and list of medicines ready.