Joint pain can be both very unpleasant and prevent you doing everyday things such as walking, writing, exercise or sport.

The injection of steroids (possibly mixed with a local anaesthetic) into the joint can provide rapid pain relief for several weeks or months. You will usually be sedated (given a calming drug) but occasionally people are asleep during the procedure following a general anaesthetic.

Why you might need it

Injury or arthritis can cause debilitating pain that affects your enjoyment of life. As well as being in pain, joint pain can prevent you from taking part in everyday activities like:

  • exercise or sport
  • playing with your children and family
  • driving
  • using computers for work or leisure.

A joint injection can provide relief from pain. Some people enjoy this relief for several months while others require new injections every few weeks.

Your expert consultant may also inject a local anaesthetic, mixed with the steroid in the same syringe. Local anaesthetic drugs block the way nerves carry pain signals to your brain. This provides instant pain relief at the time of the injection. If your consultant only injects steroids you will feel the full benefit after a few days.

The procedure takes around 20 minutes, including time for a sedative to take effect.

We have modern, well-equipped hospitals and practice some of the latest, advanced medical treatments. We take an integrated approach so we can organise any other care that you may need to help ease your joint pain, like physiotherapy, for your procedure.


Who will do it?




Before your treatment



Preparing for your treatment




The procedure

We understand that having any medical procedure, even one as relatively straightforward as a joint injection, can cause anxiety. Our professional and caring medical staff will be there to reassure you throughout.

Once the sedation has taken affect and you're feeling very calm, your expert consultant will feel and flex the joint. If you have arthritis your consultant may need to draw out fluid through a needle before injecting the medication.

An X-ray machine is likely to be positioned over the joint to help guide the consultant to the exact spot for the steroid injection. Your consultant will insert a thin needle into the joint and the steroid (and local anaesthetic if one is being used) will be injected. Your consultant may make more than one injection in the same session if appropriate.

The whole procedure, including sedation, takes around 20 minutes.


After the procedure, you will be taken to your own recovery room or a dedicated recovery area where you can relax in comfort until you’re able to go home - generally half an hour.

If a local anaesthetic was injected with the steroids the pain should disappear immediately. Otherwise you should feel the full benefit after a few days.



Why choose Spire?


How much does it cost?






Important to note
