Steroid injections (also called corticosteroid injections) are a type of anti-inflammatory medicine used to treat a range of conditions.
They are only given by healthcare professionals.
Types of steroid injections include:
- hydrocortisone
- triamcinolone
- methylprednisolone
- dexamethasone
Read the patient information leaflet that came with the steroid injection you were prescribed. It will have specific advice about your medicine.
Non-urgent advice: Find your patient information leaflet
Your patient information leaflet is the leaflet that comes with your medicine. You can find a digital version of the leaflet online.
These steroids are different from anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids are sometimes prescribed for a limited number of medical conditions. They can also be misused by people to increase muscle mass and improve athletic performance.
Uses of steroid injections
Steroid injections are used to treat allergic and inflammatory diseases of the:
- bowel and gut, such as Crohn's disease
- skin, such as psoriasis
- lungs, such as severe asthma
- joints, such as arthritis
They are also used to treat:
- joint pain
- autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis
- medical emergencies, such as shock and severe allergic reactions
- severe infections
Check if you can get a steroid injection
Most people can have steroid injections.
They may not suitable for you if you:
- have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, or problems with your liver, heart, kidneys or bowel
- are taking any other medicines, such as anticoagulants
- have severe depression, bipolar disorder or a family history of these conditions
- are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying for a baby
Do not get a steroid injection if you have:
- had an allergic reaction to steroids or any other medicines
- a current infection, unless the infection is being treated
- had a recent infection
- just had a vaccine or will be getting a vaccine soon
Tell your GP about risks of infections
Steroids makes you more likely to catch infections.
Tell your GP if you're in contact with any who has an infectious condition, such as measles, chickenpox or shingles. Avoid people with these conditions. If you have never had them before, they could make you very ill.
You may also get tuberculosis (TB) again if you've already had it.
How to get a steroid injection
You can get a steroid injected into:
- a joint - an intra-articular injection
- a muscle - an intramuscular injection
- the blood - an intravenous injection
- your spine - epidural injection
Getting a steroid injection into your spine is known as 'off-label use'.
Off label - what it means
Off-label use is when a medicine is prescribed in a way that is different to how it was first licensed.
Your GP may prescribe a medicine off label if they think it will treat your condition effectively.
They prescribe the medicine in a different way than described on the patient information leaflet, such as:
- for a different age group
- to treat another condition
- at a higher or lower dosage
Off-label use does not mean that the medicine is unsafe. Your GP will tell you if they are prescribing the medicine off label. They will only prescribe it if the benefits outweigh any risks.
Talk to your pharmacist or GP if you have any concerns or questions about off-label use.
The injections usually take a few days to start working, but some work in a few hours. The effect usually wears off after a few months.
If you're having an injection to relieve pain, it may also contain local anaesthetic. This gives immediate pain relief that lasts a few hours.
You should be able to go home soon after the injection. You may need to rest the treated body part for a few days.
Stopping treatment
You will need to come off steroid injections slowly if you have:
- had steroid injections for a long time
- had high doses of steroids
- existing problems with your adrenal glands
Stopping treatment suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms such as:
- itchy skin
- fever
- muscle and joint pains
- runny nose
- sticky eyes
- sweating
- weight loss
Do not stop or reduce your dose of steroids suddenly. Your GP will decide when to gradually reduce your dose and stop your treatment.
Side effects of steroid injections
Side effects of steroid injections depend on where you get the injection.
Side effects of injections into joints, muscles or the spine can include:
- pain and discomfort for a few days - paracetamol can help with this
- temporary bruising
- flushing of the face for a few hours
- redness, swelling and pain - contact your GP as soon as possible as these could be signs of an infection
- dimples or pale skin where you were injected - this may be permanent
- higher blood sugar
- higher blood pressure
Side effects of steroid injections given into the blood tend to be similar to side effects of steroid tablets, such as increased appetite, mood changes and difficulty sleeping (insomnia).
If you get a headache
Urgent advice: Go to an emergency department (ED) or contact your GP immediately if you get a headache and:
- feel drowsy
- feel confused
- are getting sick (vomiting)
Spinal injections can give you a very painful headache that's only relieved by lying down. Tell your GP if it happens.
Serious side effects
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department (ED) if:
- you have black or dark brown vomit or you're vomiting blood
Urgent advice: Contact your GP immediately if you have:
- a rash
- swelling of your face
- difficulty breathing
- a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher, a very sore throat, ear or sinus pain, a cough, pain when you pee, mouth sores or a wound that will not heal - signs of an infection
- a pain in your chest or you are coughing blood
- mental health issues, such as depression or thoughts of harming yourself
- painful swollen, red and tender veins in your leg
- breath that smells like fruit, a need to pee more often than usual, flushing, or you are sleepy or confused, very thirsty or hungry, or breathing quickly - these can be signs or complications of diabetes
- any changes to your eyesight
Mood changes
You may notice mood or mental health changes while having steroid injections.
Urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you're feeling high, or have moods that go up and down
- you're feeling depressed
- you're feeling anxious
- you have problems sleeping
- you have difficulty in thinking, or are feeling confused and forgetting things
- you're feeling, seeing or hearing things that do not exist (hallucinations)
- you notice changes in the way you usually behave
If you have a serious allergic reaction
It's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to steroid injections.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to an emergency department (ED) if you:
- get a rash that's itchy, red, swollen or blistered
- are wheezing
- get tightness in your chest or throat
- have trouble breathing or talking
- have swelling in your mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat
See the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of side effects.
Non-urgent advice: Find your patient information leaflet
Your patient information leaflet is the leaflet that comes with your medicine. You can find a digital version of the leaflet online.
Report side effects
You can report any suspected side effects to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA): report an issue - hpra.ie
Fact check
This content was fact checked by a pharmacist, a GP, and the National Medication Safety Programme (Safermeds).
