Patient Education: Questions about Receiving Steroid Injections

Okay, so you’ve decided to try a steroid injection to see if that will help relieve your pain. Now is the time that patients ask questions and worry about the side effects. So let’s put your mind at ease by answering some common questions.

Will I feel pain during the injection procedure?

Dr. Jolly and the rest of the staff try to make your procedure flow smoothly. Many patients ask if they will be “under” for the injection. There would be more risks associated with putting a patient under anesthesia for a simple 10 minute procedure. But have no fear; we will make you as comfortable as possible. The needle used to inject the steroid medication is smaller than the needle used to draw blood. Dr. Jolly will inject some local anesthetic to help numb the area where the steroid will be injected. After the local anesthetic is administered, all the patient should feel is the pressure of the needle, but not any pain. This process will be performed for each separate injection. If at any time during the procedure you feel pain, just let Dr. Jolly know and he will administer more numbing medication. Just one stick, a little burning as the numbing medication kicks in, and then injection of the steroid and you’re all done!

What are the side effects of the steroid injection?

There are always risks from any injection, but here are a few side effects that are common:

Localized pain or swelling at the sight of the injection, anxiety, fever, sleeplessness after the injection, increased blood sugar, and flushing.

If many injections are given for prolonged periods of time then they can cause more serious side effects such as bone loss, so physicians usually try to limit the number of steroid injections given in a year.

After the steroid injection, patients may feel a burning or cramping pain as the medicine takes effect. These symptoms should fade over the next couple of days.

Will I gain weight after a steroid injection?

This is probably the most common question asked. Steroid injections can increase your appetite, but they should really not make you gain more than a couple of pounds. The patient just has to be cognizant not to overeat due to the increase in appetite.

How long does the steroid take to work?

Usually the steroid will kick in around 3-5 days, but it may take up to 2 weeks for the steroid to take full effect.

How long will the injection last?

This question has no definitive answer because each person responds to the injection differently. Some patients have relief from pain for years, and for others the injection doesn’t do the trick. Realistically we hope that patients will experience at least 3 months of pain relief with each injection.

Hopefully most of your questions were answered about steroid injections. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call our office.