Joint Injection

A Joint injection involves injecting a mixture of a steroid (anti-inflammatory) medication and local anaesthetic into the joint to provide temporary pain relief.  This injection is performed under the guidance of ultrasound or CT imaging and can be used for:

• Pain associated  with arthritis of a joint
• Pain caused by injury
• Pain associated with mechanical stress

Please continue to take all your regular medication with sips of water (unless otherwise instructed), including your blood pressure medication.

Please inform the clerk at the time of booking your procedure if you are currently taking medication that thin your blood (eg Aspirin, Plavix, Warfarin)  as these may need to be stopped a few days prior to your procedure. It may be useful to bring a LIST of medications to your appointment. You will need to bring any previous films (x-ray/CT/MRI/US) along to your appointment.

It is important that you inform a member of staff as soon as possible if you are pregnant BEFORE the procedure is performed. If you suspect that you could be pregnant then you will need to have a pregnancy test at the hospital prior to the commencement of the procedure.

For health and safety reasons, family members cannot be present with you during the procedure. A staff member will be available to assist you at all times during the procedure if you have any concerns.

A doctor will explain the procedure beforehand and you will be required to sign a consent form. If you require an interpreter, please inform the booking clerk at the time of booking.

You will be asked to change into a hospital gown. All jewellery and metal objects in the area to be scanned will need to be removed as this can cause artefact and obscure the images.

You will be positioned on the procedure table. A sterile sheet will be draped over you with the part of the body for injection exposed (eg shoulder, knee). The doctor will use imaging assistance such as ultrasound or CT to determine the best place to put the injection.

Local anaesthetic will be injected into the skin, fat and underlying muscle around the area to be injected. This injection will numb the area.

The needle will be inserted. Once the needle is in the correct position the injection of local and anti-inflammatory steroid is injected.

A small dressing will be applied to the injection site.

Staff will discuss with you what level of activity is suitable after your procedure.

A report regarding your procedure will be given to you before you leave to give to your referring doctor. It contains information about your procedure.