Hand Unit, Plastic Surgery Department Patient information sheet Steroid Injection This information leaflet is for patients who have had a steroid injection, or who may be considering having one. It explains what they are and what to expect. These are general guidelines and variations may exist depending on individual circumstances. Why has my surgeon recommended a steroid injection for me? Steroid can be injected into an area to reduce inflammation, swelling or pain. It only acts in the area that it is injected into. They can be given as a treatment for a number of conditions, including trigger finger, de Quervains and ganglion. Are other treatments available? Depending on the cause of the inflammation, pain or swelling, there maybe other treatments available, such as hand therapy. If these are an option for your condition then your surgeon will discuss these with you. Which steroid will be used? There are several steroid preparations available of varying strength– your surgeon will recommend one which is most appropriate for your needs. Depending on your condition, your surgeon will decide whether to inject a local anaesthetic at the same time. This does not reduce inflammation but will allow almost immediate temporary pain relief. How long will it take for the injection to work and how long will it last for? The short-acting soluble steroids give relief within hours and should last for at least a week. The longer-acting, less soluble, steroids may take a few days to become effective but may give benefit for 2 months or longer. If an anaesthetic has also been given, pain relief should occur within minutes but it will usually wear off in one to four hours. Do I need to do anything after the injection? The person giving you the injection will give you advice on resuming your normal activities and what you can do to help prevent recurrence of this problem. If you are given some exercise to do, it is important that you follow these instructions to get the most benefit from your treatment. What are the possible risks or side-effects? Side-effects are unlikely but occasionally people notice an increase in their joint pain within the first 24 hours after an injection. This usually settles on its own within a couple of days. Very rarely infection might be introduced into the joint at the time of an injection. Therefore if the joint becomes more painful and hot you should see
Steroid Injection
Dec 05, 2022
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Microsoft Word - Hand Unit Steroid Leaflet PInG final 7.1.11.docHand Unit, Plastic Surgery Department Patient information sheet
Steroid Injection This information leaflet is for patients who have had a steroid injection, or who may be considering having one. It explains what they are and what to expect. These are general guidelines and variations may exist depending on individual circumstances. Why has my surgeon recommended a steroid injection for me? Steroid can be injected into an area to reduce inflammation, swelling or pain. It only acts in the area that it is injected into. They can be given as a treatment for a number of conditions, including trigger finger, de Quervains and ganglion. Are other treatments available? Depending on the cause of the inflammation, pain or swelling, there maybe other treatments available, such as hand therapy. If these are an option for your condition then your surgeon will discuss these with you. Which steroid will be used? There are several steroid preparations available of varying strength– your surgeon will recommend one which is most appropriate for your needs. Depending on your condition, your surgeon will decide whether to inject a local anaesthetic at the same time. This does not reduce inflammation but will allow almost immediate temporary pain relief. How long will it take for the injection to work and how long will it last for? The short-acting soluble steroids give relief within hours and should last for at least a week. The longer-acting, less soluble, steroids may take a few days to become effective but may give benefit for 2 months or longer. If an anaesthetic has also been given, pain relief should occur within minutes but it will usually wear off in one to four hours. Do I need to do anything after the injection? The person giving you the injection will give you advice on resuming your normal activities and what you can do to help prevent recurrence of this problem. If you are given some exercise to do, it is important that you follow these instructions to get the most benefit from your treatment. What are the possible risks or side-effects? Side-effects are unlikely but occasionally people notice an increase in their joint pain within the first 24 hours after an injection. This usually settles on its own within a couple of days. Very rarely infection might be introduced into the joint at the time of an injection. Therefore if the joint becomes more painful and hot you should see
your doctor immediately, especially if you feel unwell. Occasionally injections into or around the joint can cause thinning or a change in the colour of the skin at the injection site. Other steroid-related side-effects are rare unless injections are given frequently. The risk of side-effects, particularly thinning of the skin, is greatest with the stronger preparations. Can I take other medications along with a steroid injection? You may take other medicines when having a steroid injection. However, if you are taking a drug that thins the blood (an anticoagulant) such as warfarin, you should mention this to your doctor to ensure he is aware of this as there is a risk of bleeding into the joint. Do steroid injections affect fertility, pregnancy or breast feeding? Single steroid injections should not affect fertility, pregnancy or breast feeding; but if you are pregnant or breast feeding let your surgeon know before you have the steroid injection. Any Questions? If you have any questions then please discuss them with your surgeon at your clinic appointment. If you have had a steroid injection and have any concerns then please contact:
Hand Unit 020 8725 4770 Monday to Friday 09.00 to 17.00 hours
If you have any questions or concerns about your splint or exercise programme please contact:
Hand Therapists 020 8725 1038 Monday to Friday 08.00 to 16.30 hours
If it is after 17.00 hours, at the Weekend or Bank Holiday contact the on-call surgeon for advice on 020 8672 1255 and ask for bleep 7050. If you are unable to contact the on-call plastic surgeon then please go to A&E (accident and emergency) at St George’s Hospital. It is likely that if you attend another A&E department they will refer you back to St George’s Hospital because you are already under the care of the plastic surgeons. Further information You may also find it useful to contact NHS Direct on
Telephone 0845 46 47 Website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Produced Jan 2011; review Jan 2014
Steroid Injection This information leaflet is for patients who have had a steroid injection, or who may be considering having one. It explains what they are and what to expect. These are general guidelines and variations may exist depending on individual circumstances. Why has my surgeon recommended a steroid injection for me? Steroid can be injected into an area to reduce inflammation, swelling or pain. It only acts in the area that it is injected into. They can be given as a treatment for a number of conditions, including trigger finger, de Quervains and ganglion. Are other treatments available? Depending on the cause of the inflammation, pain or swelling, there maybe other treatments available, such as hand therapy. If these are an option for your condition then your surgeon will discuss these with you. Which steroid will be used? There are several steroid preparations available of varying strength– your surgeon will recommend one which is most appropriate for your needs. Depending on your condition, your surgeon will decide whether to inject a local anaesthetic at the same time. This does not reduce inflammation but will allow almost immediate temporary pain relief. How long will it take for the injection to work and how long will it last for? The short-acting soluble steroids give relief within hours and should last for at least a week. The longer-acting, less soluble, steroids may take a few days to become effective but may give benefit for 2 months or longer. If an anaesthetic has also been given, pain relief should occur within minutes but it will usually wear off in one to four hours. Do I need to do anything after the injection? The person giving you the injection will give you advice on resuming your normal activities and what you can do to help prevent recurrence of this problem. If you are given some exercise to do, it is important that you follow these instructions to get the most benefit from your treatment. What are the possible risks or side-effects? Side-effects are unlikely but occasionally people notice an increase in their joint pain within the first 24 hours after an injection. This usually settles on its own within a couple of days. Very rarely infection might be introduced into the joint at the time of an injection. Therefore if the joint becomes more painful and hot you should see
your doctor immediately, especially if you feel unwell. Occasionally injections into or around the joint can cause thinning or a change in the colour of the skin at the injection site. Other steroid-related side-effects are rare unless injections are given frequently. The risk of side-effects, particularly thinning of the skin, is greatest with the stronger preparations. Can I take other medications along with a steroid injection? You may take other medicines when having a steroid injection. However, if you are taking a drug that thins the blood (an anticoagulant) such as warfarin, you should mention this to your doctor to ensure he is aware of this as there is a risk of bleeding into the joint. Do steroid injections affect fertility, pregnancy or breast feeding? Single steroid injections should not affect fertility, pregnancy or breast feeding; but if you are pregnant or breast feeding let your surgeon know before you have the steroid injection. Any Questions? If you have any questions then please discuss them with your surgeon at your clinic appointment. If you have had a steroid injection and have any concerns then please contact:
Hand Unit 020 8725 4770 Monday to Friday 09.00 to 17.00 hours
If you have any questions or concerns about your splint or exercise programme please contact:
Hand Therapists 020 8725 1038 Monday to Friday 08.00 to 16.30 hours
If it is after 17.00 hours, at the Weekend or Bank Holiday contact the on-call surgeon for advice on 020 8672 1255 and ask for bleep 7050. If you are unable to contact the on-call plastic surgeon then please go to A&E (accident and emergency) at St George’s Hospital. It is likely that if you attend another A&E department they will refer you back to St George’s Hospital because you are already under the care of the plastic surgeons. Further information You may also find it useful to contact NHS Direct on
Telephone 0845 46 47 Website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Produced Jan 2011; review Jan 2014
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