Cortisone Injections near Hampshire

This will depend upon the type of steroid used. The shorter-acting soluble steroids begin to give relief within a couple of hours. The longer-acting steroids may take up to a couple of weeks to become effective. Pain relief varies from patient to patient. 

Some people feel improvement within a few days, particularly when a bursa or tendon sheath is inflamed. For deeper joints, such as the shoulder or hip, benefits may build over one to two weeks. A mild post-injection flare can occur and usually settles with rest and simple pain relief. If discomfort escalates or you feel unwell, follow the safety advice on your aftercare sheet or contact the clinic for guidance. The NHS overview of steroid injections explains typical timelines in accessible language and is a helpful reference.

The effect of the cortisone injections varies from patient to patient depending on the disease condition. Relief often lasts weeks to months, depending on the condition, activity levels and rehabilitation. When relief fades, we review your progress and the underlying cause. If the first injection provided a clear benefit and the diagnosis has not changed, a repeat can be considered after an appropriate interval. If the effect was short-lived, we would explore other evidence-based options better matched to your goals. Your consultant will discuss the details with you, and we encourage you to please ask as many questions as you like.

How many Cortisone injections per year are typical?

To protect tissue health, we use the lowest effective number. Many people have no more than three cortisone injections in the same area over twelve months, and often fewer. Timing depends on your response, the structure involved and your wider treatment plan. We document dates and outcomes so decisions remain safe and personalised.

Call today for further information on Corticosteroid Cortisone Injections.

Yes. Ultrasound allows continuous visualisation of the needle and the target structure, supporting accurate placement and helping to avoid nearby vessels and nerves. This reduces uncertainty and can improve comfort and outcomes. It is the standard approach at Sonorad for cortisone injections Berkshire-wide, and it reflects good-practice principles described in UK musculoskeletal care.

There is a significant body of research which demonstrates that ultrasound-guided injections give better outcomes, such as improved levels of pain relief, longer-lasting benefits, and improved post-injection function of the injected area, compared with injections that are done without ultrasound guidance (e.g., blind/surface marked injections).

There is also growing evidence that guiding the injection reduces the risk of trauma to local tissues or misplacement of the needle and/or the injection substance. This improves the safety of the injection and reduces the risk of adverse events associated with injection therapy. Because the location of the injection is more precisely known, it reduces the chances of having unnecessary injections.

Many patients find ultrasound-guided injections to be more comfortable, as the required depth of the injection can often be reduced

Benefits of ultrasound-guided injection

• Ultrasound scanning is non-invasive and painless (no needles or injections).
• Ultrasound imaging is extremely safe and does not use X- radiation.
• Occasionally, an ultrasound exam may be temporarily uncomfortable, but it should not be painful.
• Ultrasound is widely available, easy to use, and less expensive than most other imaging methods.
• Ultrasound scanning gives a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on X-ray images.
• Ultrasound provides real-time imaging. This makes it a good tool for guiding minimally invasive procedures such as needle biopsies, fluid aspiration, and treatment of tendon inflammations.
• Patients with certain cardiac pacemakers and metallic implants or fragments in the body often cannot be safely exposed to the strong magnetic field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, patients can safely receive ultrasound imaging.
• Ultrasound is also an excellent alternative to MRI for claustrophobic patients.
• Compared to MRI, ultrasound may provide greater internal detail when assessing soft tissue structures such as tendons and nerves.
• The unique ability to capture real-time images gives ultrasound an edge to see the dynamic movement of tendons, joints or extremities.
• Ultrasound imaging is faster than MRI and does not require the patient to remain completely still, allowing infants to be imaged without sedation.

Get in touch for Advanced Ultrasound Guided Cortisone Injections near Hampshire

A steroid injection can be very effective for treating several musculoskeletal pain conditions. For a more comprehensive list please see below.

Common injections include:

Shoulder: frozen shoulder, Subacromial bursitis, Tendon swelling/inflammation, Calcific Tendinitis, Barbotage for calcific tendinitis.

Elbow:
• Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as Tennis elbow – ultrasound guided dry needling and steroid injection.
• Medial epicondylitis, known as Golfer’s elbow – Dry needling and or cortisone injection for pain relief.
• Aspiration and injection for olecranon bursitis.
• Ulnar nerve neuritis – injections to reduce inflammation and pain.

Wrist and Hand:
• Carpal tunnel syndrome ultrasound-guided injection
• Ganglion cyst aspiration and injection.
• Tendon sheath inflammation injection.
• De Quervain tenosynovitis.
• Pain relief injection for rheumatoid arthritis
• Trigger finger treatment injection
• Small joint arthritis cortisone injection’

Hip:
• Pain relief in hip Osteoarthritis in patients waiting for a replacement.
• Trochanteric bursitis
• Iliopsoas bursitis
• Tendon inflammation and tendinosis
• Hamstring tendinopathy
• Ultrasound-guided treatment Injection for Meralgia parasthetica pain relief

Knee:
• Therapeutic and pain relief cortisone injections
• Pain relief in Knee osteoarthritis
• Cortisone injection for the pes anserinus
• Baker’s cyst aspiration and injection.
• Joint fluid aspiration
• Hyaluronic Acid injections

Ankle:

• Ankle osteoarthritis pain relief
• Subtalar Injection
• Joint fluid aspiration
• Tendinopathies
• Inflammation of the tendon or tendon sheath
• Achilles tendon inflammation (we do not inject steroids in the insertional tendinosis)
• High volume stripping procedure in chronic Achilles tendinosis and occasionally in insertional tendinosis.

Foot:
• Plantar fasciitis
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Metatarsalgia
• Small joint injections
• Tendon sheath inflammation
• Rheumatoid arthritis injection for pain relief
• Ganglion cyst aspiration and injection

Ultrasound Guided Cortisone Injections for pain relief near Hampshire

Hydrocortisones are commonly used for swollen and painful joints in arthritis. As these are directly injected into the joint cavity, there are minimal systemic effects.

Hyaluronic acid (Ostenil, Ostenil Plus or Durolane) has been reported to cause more long-term effects compared to hydrocortisones.

A cortisone injection is not given if there is suspected or confirmed local infection. Additional caution applies with poorly controlled diabetes, pregnancy, certain tendon conditions and prosthetic joints. Blood thinners may need planning rather than cancellation. Your Sonorad clinician weighs risks and benefits and, when appropriate, coordinates with your GP or specialist so decisions remain safe and consistent with UK practice.

Can Diabetic patients have steroid injections?

There can be a temporary increase in the blood glucose level. The consultant radiologist will discuss with you before the injection for precautionary and post-injection management.

We are happy to discuss any further information through email or during the consultation.

What drugs should not be taken with steroids? 

Careful consideration is needed for patients on blood thinners. Although intra-articular injections should not alter systemic sugar levels, we advise patients with diabetes to continue monitoring their blood sugar levels after the injection. Please discuss this with your consultant radiologist or referring physician.

Standard diagnostic ultrasound has no known harmful effects on humans.

What are the limitations of Ultrasound Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System?

Ultrasound has difficulty penetrating bone and, therefore, can only see the outer surface of bony structures. Yet ultrasound can sometimes detect small fractures of the bone surface. Doctors typically use other imaging modalities, such as MRI, to visualise the internal structure of bones or certain joints.

There are also limitations to the depth that sound waves can penetrate; therefore, deeper structures in larger patients may sometimes cause difficulty. But thanks to new scanners, which have more penetration. SONORAD uses high-end equipment to diagnose as possible we can.

We do not inject insertional tendinopathies due to the higher risk of tendon rupture. You can discuss alternative treatment options with the consultant radiologist.

A referral from your family physician/GP, orthopaedic surgeon, rheumatologist, physiotherapist or chiropractor is desirable though not necessary. If you do not have a referral, please book a consultation with our consultant radiologist for an assessment and if appropriate a steroid injection or other procedure. The consultant will discuss with you the therapeutic outcome/pain management options.

If you’re seeking pain relief but wish to avoid cortisone injections, hyaluronic acid injections may be a suitable non-steroidal alternative. These are particularly used for joint pain caused by osteoarthritis, especially in the knees.

Some clinical studies have shown that hyaluronic acid injections can be as effective as corticosteroids in reducing pain and improving mobility. In fact, for certain patients, particularly those in the early stages of osteoarthritis, they may provide longer-lasting benefits than steroid-based options.

However, results can vary. In more severe or advanced cases, particularly among older adults, hyaluronic acid may be less effective. It’s also worth noting that while cortisone injections offer fast relief from inflammation, hyaluronic acid works gradually by improving joint lubrication.

We operate our clinic from Manor Park Medical Centre, 2 Lerwick Drive, Slough, Berkshire SL1 3XU. Please note we are not part of Manor Park Medical Centre, but use the premises.

We have people travel to us from many miles around Berkshire, including Maidenhead, Ascot, Windsor, Reading, Bracknell, and Wokingham.

Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Marlow, and Milton Keynes.

Hampshire, Basingstoke, and Winchester.

Middlesex, Hayes, West Drayton, Pinner, Twickenham, Teddington, and Northwood.

Oxfordshire and Oxford.

Surrey, Staines, Guildford and Woking.

West London, Kensington, Richmond, Uxbridge, Near Heathrow Airport, Kingston Upon Thames, Hounslow, Ealing, Brentford, Southall and Wembley.

Wiltshire and Swindon.