Steroid Joint Injection Aftercare

1. What to expect after your injection

• Mild soreness, heaviness, or discomfort can happen for 24 to 48 hours.
• The local anaesthetic may cause temporary numbness for a few hours.
• Some people experience a temporary steroid flare before improvement begins.
• Benefit may start within a few days, but it can take up to 2 weeks.

2. What you should do

• Rest the joint for 24 to 48 hours.
• Use gentle movement only at first.
• Use simple analgesia if needed: paracetamol, and ibuprofen only if tolerated and taken with food.
• Keep the area clean and monitor your symptoms.
• If you have diabetes, check your blood sugars more closely for a few days.

3. What you should not do

• Do not do strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, or repetitive activity for 48 hours.
• Do not overuse the joint on the day of injection.
• Do not drive if the joint feels numb or weak immediately afterwards.
• Do not ignore worsening pain, redness, or swelling.

4. When to seek urgent medical advice

• Increasing redness, swelling, or heat around the joint.
• Severe pain that is getting worse.
• Fever, shivering, or feeling unwell.
• Significant weakness, allergic symptoms, or any serious concern.

If you experience any of the above or feel severely unwell, seek urgent medical help or attend A&E.