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Injections for the Shoulder
 Injections into soft tissues and joints can be very effective in giving pain relief when the tissues are inflamed. The injection includes a small amount of Steroid that has an anti-inflammatory action and a local anaesthetic, which numbs the area.
To benefit from the injection it is important that you rest the joint from strenuous activity for 1-week. You will be able to carry out activities of daily living as normal. The clinician will have checked your medical history to ensure that you are at minimal risk of any adverse reaction. It is normal to feel some increased discomfort in the area for 48 hours after the injection. However if you notice any of the following symptoms: swelling, redness or warmth around the injection site, or you feel generally unwell, please contact your GP or casualty and tell them about this injection. WILL THE INJECTION HURT? The shot can be slightly painful, especially when given into a joint, but in skilled hands it usually is well tolerated. Often the cortisone injection can be performed with a very small needle that causes little discomfort. However, sometimes a slightly larger needle must be used, especially if your physician is attempting to remove fluid through the needle prior to injecting the cortisone. Numbing medication, such as Lidocaine or Marcaine, is often injected with the cortisone to provide temporary relief of the affected area. Also, topical anaesthetics can help numb the skin in an area being injected. ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS? Yes. Probably the most common side effect is a 'cortisone flare,' a condition where the injected cortisone crystallizes and can cause a brief period of pain worse than before the shot. This usually lasts a day or two and is best treated by icing the injected area. Other side effects of cortisone injections, are rare, the most concerning is infection, the best prevention is careful injection technique, with sterilization of the skin using iodine and/or alcohol.
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