Treatments
Steroid Injections
Steroid injections at Harpenden Medical provide safe and effective (although sometimes temporary) relief from pain and inflammation.
Also known as corticosteroids and hydrocortisone, steroid injections deliver medication directly to problem areas in your body and provide rapid relief of symptoms with minimal side effects.
Conditions / Areas Treated
- Arthritis (both rheumatoid and osteoarthritic).
- Tendinitis (inflammation or irritation of a tendon).
- Bursitis (where the fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints become swollen).
- Swelling, joint and tendon mobility.
- Joints, including shoulders (acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints), fingers, thumbs, knees, and the spine.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis of the thumbs and fingers, tennis and golfer’s elbow, and subacromial bursitis.
- Frozen shoulder, trochanteric bursitis in the hip bursa and plantar fasciitis at the base of the foot.
We do not offer injections to patients under 18 or pregnant women.
How to Get Steroid Injections
Step One: Consultation
The first step is to book an appointment with one of our GPs to consider whether steroid injections are right for you.
The consultation will involve an examination of the affected area to diagnose your issue, and our GP will take a medical history to understand how the problem impacts your daily life and whether you have any other conditions that might make the procedure unsuitable for you.
We will also provide you with an idea of outcomes you can expect from the injection.
Step Two: Treatment
At a second appointment after you have consented to treatment, the injection site will be cleaned and sterilised to reduce the risk of introducing any germs into the area.
The injection is then placed in the joint or tendon, using anatomical landmarks, such as the edges of bones, to ensure that the injection is in the correct location.
We use a ‘no-touch’ technique, which further reduces your risk of infection.
For the injection, we use methylprednisolone acetate.
We have specially selected this type of steroid because it is oil-based, which offers the advantage of helping the drug stay in place, maximising its local effects and minimising any impact on the rest of the body.
The procedure takes between 20 and 30 minutes.
About Steroids
Steroids work by mimicking the effects of cortisol, the body’s natural steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands that sit above the kidneys.
Steroids, whether man-made or natural, reduce inflammation caused by overactive immune responses.
Injection of steroids helps to focus the drug on specific areas of the body, and this reduces the risk of side effects compared to oral steroids that can exert their effects throughout the body.
Steroids are not the same as anabolic steroids used by bodybuilders to increase their muscle size and strength.
Steroid Injections Cost : £250 per injection.
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At a glance
Suitability
Our medical experts will consider whether steroid injections are right for you
Duration
Steroid injections take 20 to 30 minutes
Infection Risks
No-touch technique reduces the risk of infection
Side Effects
We inject methyl prednisolone, a type of steroid, minimising side effects
Treatment
Frequently asked questions
How long do steroid injections take to work, and will the benefits last?
Benefits from injections are typically felt in about 48 hours, but may take up to a week to be fully realised following the injection.
Most people will continue to experience improvement for a couple of weeks after the injection and find that the benefits last for several months.
Some people will find that one or two injections are enough to alleviate their symptoms permanently.
Are steroid injections painful?
Steroid injections are not painful. However, we usually inject some local anaesthetic (lignocaine) together with the steroid to reduce the chance of a flare-up in the joint/ tendon after the procedure.
What should I wear for the procedure?
As the injection area will need to be exposed, it is helpful to wear loose clothing. For example, a T-shirt and jogging bottoms will be far easier than a shirt and tie.
Are there side effects from steroid injections?
The advantage of steroid injections over steroid tablets is that the dose is lower, which means that side effects (such as weight gain, swelling of the legs, and mood swings) are also lower.
We also use methylprednisolone acetate, a formulation that combines the steroid with oil.
This means the steroid stays in place, maximising its local effects and minimising its impact throughout the rest of the body.
Are there any precautions that I will need to take after the injection?
Patients can typically go home immediately after a steroid injection, and there should be no problems with driving.
The activities you can undertake depend on the procedure you have had; generally, avoid over-stretching injected tendons and overworking joints. We will advise you on whether there is anything in particular that you need to avoid.
Is there a limit to the number of steroid injections that I can have?
Steroid injections are a safe procedure with few side effects.
However, having too frequent steroid injections can cause damage to joints, thinning and rupture of tendons and ligaments.
Also, the more injections you have in one location, the less effective each injection becomes.
Generally, we only allow patients to have two to three injections per year for the same problem or injection site.
Who may not be suitable for steroid injections?
In your initial assessment, your health care professional will review whether you have any other conditions that a steroid injection could worsen.
If you have diabetes, you will need to discuss injections with your health care professional because steroids can raise blood sugar levels for a few days following the injection.
If you are taking anticoagulants (such as warfarin) you may need a blood test to ensure your blood is not too thin to have the injection due to the risk of bleeding.
We will also check that you do not have an infection at the time of injection, as the immunosuppressant effect of steroids can make it more difficult to fight infections.
If you have a broken bone or a wound, you should not have steroids as they can interfere with healing. We don’t offer injections to pregnant women or patients under 18 years.
Price
From £ 250
Testimonials
What our patients say...
A beautiful clinic, on truly stunning grounds.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Harpenden Medical Clinic and have booked further treatments on recommendation after a discovery call to explore my health concerns. I can’t wait to go back!
Abigail
I visited Harpenden Medical following a series of heart-related issues. I have seen various GPs and been prescribed different medications but didn’t see any improvement.
After speaking with Dr Jollyman, for the first time in years I feel I am finally being listened to and given the right advice. I feel better already after a few short weeks of treatment and I look forward to seeing more results.
Louise
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