The treatment involves injecting a steroid (cortisone) directly into the joint in order to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in a joint caused by injury or arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis) and allow you to move the affected joint much more comfortably and easily. The treatment can relieve pain symptoms for several months.

The steroids used are powerful anti-inflammatory medications; they work by reducing the inflammation within the joint which causes the pain and stiffness. Joints such as the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, hand, back and wrist all respond well to steroid injection treatment, which is usually effective for between a few weeks and several months. Patients can have up to three injections in the same joint per year.

You may also be given a local anaesthetic, mixed with the steroid in the same syringe. This local anaesthetic gives instant pain relief at the time of the injection, and often for the rest of the day or longer. If you have a steroid injection without local anaesthetic it may take longer - perhaps 3 to 5 days - before you feel the full benefit of the injection.

A steroid injection directly into the affected joint can bring relief more quickly and more powerfully than anti-inflammatory medications given by mouth, such as aspirin. It also avoids any side effects associated with anti-inflammatory medications taken orally, such as irritation of the stomach.

A steroid injection into one joint can also sometimes reduce inflammation in other diseased joints in the body when the steroid is absorbed into the circulation.

Corticosteroids or cortisone injections are well known, safe and have been used for many years. There may be side effects and risks involved but, for most people, the benefits in terms of pain relief and improved movement and mobility far outweigh any potential disadvantages. Your Podiatrist, Rheumatologist or Orthopaedic Consultant can discuss any concerns you have about cortisone injections.

Hyaluronic acid injections are a newer type of joint injection which work well for arthritic complaints. They make movement easier and, when you get better movement, you tend to get less pain.

A common treatment for plantar fasciitis is a plantar fascia injection. It's renowned for being quite painful, so is usually done under a local anaesthetic to numb any pain from the injection.

Another treatment is an ultrasound-guided injection for the Achilles tendon. This high-volume injection is predominantly water mixed with local anaesthetic to numb the injection site.

You might have this treatment if you’re experiencing severe pain or stiffness in a joint caused by injury or arthritis.

The injection is very quick to administer and the procedure is performed as day surgery so you’ll be able to return home on the same day, but you may not be able to drive yourself. A local anaesthetic will be used to numb the area of the injection so you won’t feel anything.

For a few days following the injection you’ll need to rest the joint and avoid exercise involving the joint to allow any inflammation to decrease.

If you’ve had a local anaesthetic mixed with the steroid in the injection then you may experience instant pain relief. Otherwise it may take longer, perhaps a few days, before you feel the full benefit of the injection.