Steroid injections, commonly referred to as corticosteroid or cortisone injections, are powerful anti-inflammatory treatments. Administered with the guide of ultrasound, they are directly injected into targeted areas experiencing pain like the knee joint (for knee osteoarthritis), a bursa (for olecranon bursitis), or around a tendon (for de Quervain’s tenosynovitis). These steroid injections consist of synthetic hormones that mimic those the body naturally produces.
At The Joint Pain Clinic, we utilize steroid injections to effectively alleviate pain in the hip, knee, and shoulder. They reduce inflammation, which in turn minimizes stiffness, discomfort, and swelling within musculoskeletal tissues.
Conditions We Treat with Steroid Injections
Arthritis: Steroid injections provide targeted pain relief, particularly benefiting individuals with osteoarthritic joints by reducing inflammation and discomfort.
Frozen shoulder: Characterized by swelling, inflammation, and restricted movement in the shoulder joint capsule, frozen shoulder can significantly improve with steroid injections. Steroid injections greatly reduce pain, increase mobility, and improve functions.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: Caused by compression of the wrist median nerve, this condition leads to pain, numbness, and tingling in the thumb and fingers. Administering steroid injections into the carpal tunnel can offer substantial symptom relief.
Trigger finger: This condition results from the thickening of a small pulley or tendon on the palm side of a finger, causing pain and difficulty in movement. A steroid injection directly into the affected area can reduce inflammation and restore normal finger motion.
Tendonitis and bursitis: Tendonitis (inflammation of tendons) and bursitis (fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints) commonly affect the shoulder, knee, elbow, and hip. Steroid injections can effectively alleviate pain and enhance joint function.
Benefits of Steroid Injections
Fast-acting relief: Steroid injections can relieve pain within a few days.
Reduced inflammation: By directly targeting inflamed tissues, including the joint lining (synovium), these injections help decrease swelling, improve flexibility, and minimize stiffness.
Enhanced mobility: By relieving pain and inflammation, steroid injections improve movement in key joints like the hip, knee, and shoulder, allowing for greater ease in daily activities.
Minimally invasive treatment: Steroid injections offer a non-surgical approach with fewer risks and side effects, making them a better first-line treatment for many patients.
Quick recovery: With minimal downtime, patients can resume daily activities swiftly, avoiding prolonged work or routine life disruptions.
Possible Complications of Steroid Injections
Post injection discomfort
Infection at the injection site or the joint fluid