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Today you've been given an injection containing corticosteroid and possibly local anaesthetic.

This is generally a 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 that you get and the duration of time that this may last are variable. Side effects have been reported to occur up to 24 hours following injection.

However, most adverse reactions occur within the first 20 minutes. After your injection it is advised that you stay in the waiting area of the department for about 20 minutes before leaving, to make sure you feel fine.

Getting the maximum effect from this treatment

It's important that you:

  • Rest the injected part for the first two to three days. During the first 24 hours move the affected joint gently to aid the dispersion of the drugs used.
  • Keep the plaster on for 24 hours to help reduce the risk of infection.
  • Avoid previous activities that aggravated your condition. Gradually resume normal activities, within two to three days, stopping if this causes you undue pain. It is preferable to avoid strenuous activity for up to six weeks after the injection. If you are unsure whether you should avoid an activity, please discuss this with the therapist who gives you your steroid injection. Some patients may experience the following:
    • Some reddening or flushing of the face can occur but will usually disappear after 48 hours
    • Pain is common after the injection once the local anaesthetic wears off. It is usually short lived and resolves within two to three days. If you take pain relieving medication that is suitable for you it may reduce the discomfort. If the pain remains severe or you begin to feel unwell or feverish then you should contact the Accident and Emergency department or your own GP as soon as possible as you may be developing an infection that requires antibiotics.
    • If you have diabetes you may need to monitor your blood sugar levels more frequently over the next few days as these may go up or down following the injection.
    • In rare cases there have been reports of a retinal disorder - central serous chorioretinopathy. (This typically affects one eye only and can cause vision to be blurry and distorted, with objects often appearing smaller and distorted in the affected eye) We advise you to report any blurred vision or other visual disturbances following a corticosteroid injection and seek advice from your GP or an ophthalmologist. Following your injection, you should have a follow up appointment to assess your response to the injection. This will be organised by your therapist, and they will discuss with you whether this needs to be a face to face or telephone consultation.

Contact us 

Telephone: 01744 415570 

Our patients matter

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust listens and responds to patients and their carers to help improve the services we deliver.

If you have any comments, compliments or concerns you can speak with a member of staff or contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints Team.

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
V7 Building
Kings Business Park
Prescot
Merseyside
L34 1PJ

Telephone: 0151 471 2377 - freephone: 0800 328 2941

Email: palsandcomplaints@merseycare.nhs.uk

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Approval date: 20 May 2025

Review date: 20 May 2026

Version number: 1

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