Cortisone injections

Last updated: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 Print

Local cortisone injections are injections directly into a joint, also known as intra-articular steroids or local cortisone injection.

Cortisone’s effect when injected directly

It can reduce inflammation, redness and swelling. This results in pain relief within 48 - 72 hours.

Cortisone is not a painkiller. Your doctor might inject a local anaesthetic as well as the steroid directly into your inflamed joint.

Name the cortisone used in a local injection

Preparations of methylprednisolone, triamcinolone or beta-methasone can be used. Read more about suitable corticosteroids for intra-articular injections in joint disease.

Who can benefit from a local steroid injection?
An intra-articular cortisone injection is given to reduce inflammation and swelling within a joint. A peri-articular injection is given to reduce pain and inflammation near a joint. For example, if you have a tennis elbow your doctor may inject the tender area. People with inflamed joints not responding on analgesics or NSAID’s. Knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles can be safely injected in a doctor's consulting room. Injection of the hip joint is usually done in a sterile theatre.

What are the possible side-effects?

Intra-articular injections can produce a crystal arthropathy that may worsen the prognosis of the joint disease.
Repeated doses can increase the risk of catabolic degenerative changes in the specific joints. Joint damage might follow after an intra-articular injection.
In rare occasions the injection might introduce infection into the joint, leading to more pain.
Occasionally with peri-articular injections some thinning or loss of colour of the skin may occur at the injection site.

Who should not get local cortisone injections?

People with infected joints or infective disease should not be injected with cortisone. Injections into joints previously infected should also be avoided.

What should I do after the injection?

Weight-bearing joints should be rested for the first 1-2 days after an intra-articular injection.

(Health24, updated 2005)