CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Ultrasound-guided injections
An injection of an anti-inflammatory drug, guided by ultrasound. Steroid injections into the joint can be an effective way to treat orthopaedic pain caused by a sports injury.
What are steroid injections for?
Corticosteroid injections are most often used to treat joint inflammation (synovitis), which may occur in the shoulder, knee and hip. This is often triggered by a sports injury. They may also be used to treat inflammation around tendons and ligaments.
The injection is usually a combination of anti-inflammatory steroid and local anaesthetic, with the needle being carefully guided by ultrasound. Sometimes the injection is used as a diagnostic tool, as well as a treatment.
Need to know
At the time of the injection, you'll have a scan to determine the exact point of injection – this will be marked on your skin. The skin will also be cleaned with antiseptic, to avoid infection.
If your joint is very swollen, the radiologist will remove excess fluid with a needle. Next, the radiologist will inject corticosteroid and local anaesthetic into your joint (or the soft tissue surrounding the joint or tendon) under the guidance of the ultrasound. The procedure will typically take around 10-15 minutes.
Your consultant will go through the procedure with you and answer any questions you might have. As this is a routine procedure, little preparation is needed.
As the local anaesthetic wears off, your joint may feel sore again. This can last for a few days after the injection, but you'll start to feel the benefits from around five days.
It may take up to a week or two to take full effect. Sometimes the injection may produced a 'steroid flare' which temporary may irritate the joint lining. In very rare cases, severe pain may indicate an infection. Your consultant will discuss any issues with you.
Our Ultrasound-guided injections locations
The Princess Grace Hospital Outpatients
30 Devonshire Street W1G 6PU London
City of London - 31 Old Broad Street
City of London 31 Old Broad Street EC2N 1HT London
Chelsea Outpatients
280 King's Road SW3 5AW London
Elstree Waterfront Outpatients
The Waterfront Business Park, Beaufort House Elstree Road, Elstree WD6 3BS Hertfordshire
Golders Green Outpatients
Roman House, 296 Golders Green Road Golders Green NW11 9PY London
Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH)
170 Tottenham Court Road W1T 7HA London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2TQ Birmingham
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place St John's Wood NW8 9LE London
The Wellington Hospital Outpatients
15 - 17 Lodge Road NW8 7JA London
The Wilmslow Hospital
52-54 Alderley Road Wilmslow SK9 1NY Cheshire
Patient stories
Hear from past patients about their experience
Alan's story
Despite years of experiencing heart problems that just wouldn’t go away, Alan was apprehensive about having a surgical procedure. But with the expertise of his consultant and the latest cardiac technology, he decided to go ahead.
Andrew's story
“I couldn’t move my legs at all, and my arms only partially. But now I can walk six miles. I wouldn’t have got that without the physio team at The Christie Private Care, I simply wouldn’t have.”
How a second opinion helped uncover a hidden cardiac problem
Former Olympic swimmer, Adrian, was used to prioritising his physical wellbeing and continued to exercise regularly, keeping him in good health into his 60s. But when he got out of the pool one day, he noticed that something wasn’t right.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.