Steroid Injection

Steroid Injections

Steroid is an anti-inflammatory medication that is commonly used to treat Orthopaedic conditions. It works by reducing inflammation and swelling of tissues, allowing tissues to gradually heal. This is useful in many conditions with persistent pain, such as:

– Shoulder impingement

– Frozen Shoulder

– Knee patellar tendinitis

– Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow

– Heel pain problems

– Tendo-Achilles heel pain

– Wrist conditions, such as de Quervain’s

– Finger triggering

Where the condition is suitable, a steroid injection can assist the condition to heal, ie it is not just a symptomatic ‘pain-killer’ treatment.

Injection versus Oral steroid

At Centurion Ortho, we primarily utilise Injections instead of oral steroids. Injections are safer than oral steroids because the steroid medication is only given to the tissue, whereas oral steroids are absorbed into the body system.

Potential side effects of steroids

The potential side effects of steroid injections may include:

– causing the skin to be thinned or turn pale

– reactive flare around the tissue

However, in our experience, such side effects are very rare.

Is Steroid Injection painful?

At Centurion Ortho, we always give a small anaesthetic injection to the skin first. This helps to numb the area. This step is important because steroid injections are given to deeper tissues which may be painful without an anaesthetic injection first.

Summary

Steroid Injections are an important adjunct in Orthopaedic treatment. When given for the right conditions, they can assist painful conditions to heal completely without any significant risk.