Joint pain treatment (joint injections) at Spire Dunedin Hospital

Spire Dunedin Hospital is a well-established private hospital and we take pride in delivering a high standard of care to our patients in Reading and the surrounding Berkshire areas. We have several pain specialists, a rheumatologist, and orthopaedic hand consultants who can perform joint injections to relieve chronic pain and stiffness. These highly qualified and expert consultants treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren's contracture.

We offer access to tests, scans and treatment without the wait, and easy booking with appointment times to suit you.

Getting here

Spire Dunedin Hospital is conveniently situated close to the heart of Reading, on the A4 Bath Road. We’re a short walk from Reading West station and a 10 minute taxi ride from Reading mainline station, with direct trains to London and the South West. If you wish to drive to your appointment, there’s free parking on-site.

Your consultations

You’ll meet your consultant in one of our 15 consultation rooms. All of our rooms are accessible, so there’s no need to worry about stairs if your joint pain is causing you mobility problems.

During your consultations, we’ll:

• Ask about your medical history
• Recommend imaging scans and/or blood tests to investigate your joint and any underlying conditions in more detail
• Examine your joints to ensure the injections are suitable for you
• Explain in more detail how joint injections work, your expected outcome and any potential risks or complications
• Give you an opportunity to discuss your expectations, needs and desired outcomes from treatment
• Outline a treatment and ongoing support plan that’s tailored to you

Knee pain, shoulder pain and hip pain are common symptoms that may be improved with joint injections, especially joint pain associated with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Here’s what will happen on the day of your joint injection:

• You’ll meet your healthcare team
• If agreed with your consultant beforehand, you’ll be given a sedative so you feel calm. You may also be given a local anaesthetic first, to numb the area and reduce the pain
• Your consultant will feel and flex your joint and may draw out fluid with a needle if necessary – this is known as aspiration
• If appropriate, your consultant will insert a thin needle into your joint to inject the steroid directly into the affected area. If a local anaesthetic hasn’t already been administered it may be mixed with the steroid, to provide pain relief.
• Your consultant may use an X-ray machine positioned over your joint as a guide for the injection
• They may make more than one injection, if appropriate

In most cases, you'll receive a hydrocortisone joint injection. Hydrocortisone is a steroid which reduces inflammation and relieves pain.

If you have tendon damage, your consultant may recommend platelet-rich plasma injections. Platelets in the plasma (which is extracted from your own blood) are intended to promote tendon repair in your joint, helping to relieve pain and stiffness, often due to osteoarthritis.

When your consultant has finished, you’ll be able to relax in a recovery room until you’re ready to go home - usually for about half an hour or so. Before you leave, your healthcare team will give you advice on managing your pain and any exercises you can do to help improve your results.

You may have some discomfort from the injection – if you had a local anaesthetic, you may feel this after a couple of hours. However, the joint injection should improve your chronic pain over a few hours and within a few days. Usually, the affects should last for a few weeks to a few months, depending on the type and strength of your injection.

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for joint injections: