FAQ

As a general guide, it is suggested that patients have no more than a maximum of three steroid injections into the same anatomical location within a 12-month period. Read more

Patient’s often ask us how long a steroid injection is going to take to work.

For further information regarding corticosteroid injection and COVID-19 please click here

At Complete Injection we do not require a medical consultant’s or a GP’s referral in order for you to access our services. However, we may sometimes need to speak to your doctor or ask you to obtain further information from your GP to ensure that it is medically safe to proceed. Read more

On the vast majority of occasions, people have minimal levels of pain following the injection. However, we suggest that where possible you have a friend or family member drive you to the appointment or you attend via public transport. Read more

We ask patients to provide written consent for ultrasound guided injections as this is an invasive procedure and involves the use of prescription-only medications. We feel it is important that patients are fully aware of any potential risks and side effects relating to their injection treatment. Read more

How much do steroid injections cost privately?

Many patients accessing our services wish to have an injection prior to going away on holiday. We have written a blog to help you understand the optimal time prior to your holiday that you should look to attend for your injection. Read more

We have provided a list of all the common conditions for which we provide steroid injection. However, if you cannot see the condition that you have been diagnosed with on our list, please contact us and we can discuss with you if we are able to offer you appropriate treatment. Read more

Whilst steroid injections are potent anti-inflammatory painkillers, there are a range of reasons why they will be given for different conditions. Sometimes a steroid injection can be curative, whereas in other situations a steroid injection will provide a window or opportunity to help you exercise and rehabilitate. Read more

We provide a list of common side effects and risks, along with the consent form. However, if you have any further questions, or you would like to have further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are very happy to provide you with further information about any concerns that you may have.

SUMMARY OF RISKS OR SIDE EFFECTS FROM HAVING INJECTIONS

Potential side effects of steroid injections

Serious side effects are rare and include: • Joint and soft tissue infections (Advise on symptoms of septic arthritis and to seek medical advice if they occur) • Anaphylaxis

Other potential side effects include

• Risk of tendon rupture • Local subcutaneous fat atrophy (usually temporary and disappears within a few months) • Local depigmentation (usually temporary and disappears within a few months) • Post injection flare of pain at injection site. • Destabilisation of blood sugars in diabetic patients which require vigilant monitoring by patient following injection • Blurring of vision or sudden loss of visual acuity due to very rare complication of central serous chorioretinopathy • Facial flushing • Menstrual irregularities • Dizziness • Injury or trauma to neurovascular structures during the injection procedure • Very rarely significant joint destruction or damage can occur although usually associated with overly frequent high dose injections

You will be asked to remain in the clinic for 20 minutes following the injection to allow observation of possible adverse reactions.

Potential side effects of local anaesthetics Serious side effects are rare and include: • Infection – Infection in soft tissue or joint injected (Advise regarding symptoms of septic arthritis and to seek medical attention) • Anaphylaxis

Other potential side effects include: • Light headedness • Numbness of area injected • Dizziness, drowsiness • Blurred or double vision • Vomiting • Bradycardia • Hypotension cardiac arrest • Very rarely loss of consciousness, respiratory depression, respiratory or cardiac arrest. • Allergic or anaphylactic reaction • Injury or trauma to neurovascular structures during the injection procedure Your therapist is trained to, and will take every appropriate step to avoid injecting or traumatising soft tissue structures, nerves or vessels when performing the injection. However, there is a very small risk that this can occur, particularly with injections at certain locations.

This leaflet’s content is adapted from Arthritis Research UK’s ‘Local Steroid Injections’ leaflet and has been used with their kind permission. (www.arthritisresearchuk.org )

• Red, hot, and swollen at the site of the injection
• Worsening pain
• A general feeling of being unwell, including nausea, temperature, and respiratory changes
• Dizziness or severe fatigue.

References  

Baima, J. and Isaac, Z., 2008. Clean versus sterile technique for common joint injections: a review from the physiatry perspective. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 1(2), p.88. 

Charalambous, C.P., Tryfonidis, M., Sadiq, S., Hirst, P. and Paul, A., 2003. Septic arthritis following intra-articular steroid injection of the knee–a survey of current practice regarding antiseptic technique used during intra-articular steroid injection of the knee. Clinical rheumatology, 22(6), pp.386-390. 

Holland, C., Jaeger, L., Smentkowski, U., Weber, B. and Otto, C., 2012. Septic and aseptic complications of corticosteroid injections: an assessment of 278 cases reviewed by expert commissions and mediation boards from 2005 to 2009. Deutsches Ärzteblatt international, 109(24), p.425. 

Kaandrop CJ, Van Schaardenburg D, Krijnen P, Habbema JD, van de Laar MA (1995) Risk factors for septic arthritis in patients with joint disease. A prospective study. Arthritis Rheum 38:1819–25 

Murray, R., Pearson, J.C., Coombs, G.W., Flexman, J.P., Golledge, C.L., Speers, D.J., Dyer, J.R., McLellan, D.G., Reilly, M., Bell, J.M. and Bowen, S.F., 2008. Outbreak of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection associated with acupuncture and joint injection. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 29(9), pp.859-865. 

Nallamshetty, L., Buchowski, J.M., Nazarian, L.A., Narula, S., Musto, M., Ahn, N.U. and Frassica, F.J., 2003. Septic arthritis of the hip following cortisone injection: case report and review of the literature. Clinical imaging, 27(4), pp.225-228. 

Perry CR. Septic arthritis. Am J Orthop 1999;168 – 78 

Peterson, C. and Hodler, J., 2011. Adverse events from diagnostic and therapeutic joint injections: a literature review. Skeletal radiology, 40(1), pp.5-12. 

Provenzano, D.A., Hanes, M.C. and Deer, T.R., 2018. Interventional Pain Procedures and the Risk of Infection. In Essentials of Pain Medicine (pp. 813-824). Elsevier. 

Rosen, R.C., Stuto, A.C. and Cook, K.D., Group a Streptococcus Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection Secondary to Corticosteroid Injection: A Case Report and Literature Review. Clin Surg. 2017; 2, 1431. 

Stephens, M.B., Beutler, A. and O'Connor, F.G., 2008. Musculoskeletal injections: a review of the evidence. American family physician, 78(8), pp.971-976. 

Von Essen, R. and Savolainen, H.A., 1989. Bacterial infection following intra-articular injection: a brief review. Scandinavian journal of rheumatology, 18(1), pp.7-12. 

The response to steroid injection can be variable and depends on a number of factors. Typically, steroid injections will give pain relief from between six weeks to six months. Read more

One of the most common questions we get asked by patients considering an injection is ‘can steroid injections cause arthritis?’. Arthritis here refers to ‘osteoarthritis’ which is the medical term for ‘wear and tear’ or degenerative changes within the tissues. Read more

Unfortunately we are not able to offer injections during a patients pregnancy – this is due to a lack of research evidence to confirm that it would be safe to do so.

We can usually offer injections to patients who are still breastfeeding – the Breastfeeding network provide specific information and guidance in relation to steroid injections whilst breastfeeding https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/steroid-injections/