Following Joint Injection v6

Following a Joint Injection

Patient Information

Orthopaedics Department - Royal Albert Edward Infirmary

Nurse in Attendance  ................................................................................................................................................... 

Today you have been given an injection containing cortico-steroid and a local anaesthetic. This is a generally safe procedure and is a firmly established treatment to patients with an inflammatory condition that is causing pain. The long acting preparation can ease your symptoms but the amount of pain relief you get, and the duration of time is variable.

Please read this leaflet carefully

To get maximum effect from this treatment it is important that you:

1. Rest the injected part for the first 24 hours, just moving gently to aid the dispersion of the drugs used; avoid any repetitive movements.
2. Keep the plaster on if possible, for at least 24 hours to prevent anything entering the puncture site.
3. Avoid the previous activities that aggravated your condition, gradually resume normal activities, stopping if possible if this causes you undue pain.
4. Exercise is an important part of treatment as muscle wasting leads to worsening symptoms. It is important to try to achieve a balance between rest and exercise.

Some patients may experience the following:

1. Facial flushing can occur but will disappear after 48 hours.
2. Pain is common after the injection once the local anaesthesia wears off; it is usually short lived and resolves spontaneously within 2 or 3 days. If you take pain relieving medication that is suitable for you it will reduce the discomfort.
3. A small amount of people can be sensitive to the drugs used; this may increase the inflammation and the joint becomes painful and feels hot. This can be eased by cold or ice packs (frozen peas wrapped in a towel for 10 to 15 minutes). If the pain remains severe or you begin to shiver and feel hot contact us or your General Practitioner (GP) immediately, as you may be developing an infection that requires antibiotic treatment as soon as possible.
4. Stiff, painful joints can be eased by warmth (hot water bottle wrapped in a towel or take a warm bath). 

Contact information

If you require any further advice, do not hesitate to contact us by telephoning:

01942 822109