It’s common to suffer from joint pain at some point in your life, and we see a lot of people with arthritis in clinic here in Colchester. While a solid rehabilitation plan based around the individuals goals is often very successful, when this is not enough, the jump to surgery is daunting. There are a significant number of people that fall into this black hole – exercise doesn’t seem to quite make it better, but surgery seem too drastic.
That’s where injection therapy can be a huge help.
What is Injection Therapy?
Injection therapy is the administration of of a substance to an area of the body via injection in order to provide a therapeutic effect. This can be delivered into a joint in the case of arthritis, or around a soft tissue as is the case in rotator cuff pain.
It’s important to say, injection therapy is not a cure but part of a treatment plan. It can help provide short term pain relief in order for you to engage with other management strategies to help with your pain. In no way is it a magic fix, although some people do find they get permanent relief from their pain having had an injection – this certainly is not the norm.
We recommend coupling injection therapy with a good rehabilitation plan – the injection calms it down, and the rehab builds your body back up.
What are steroid injections?
A steroid is an anti inflammatory medication, it is used therefore to reduce pain and swelling that is often caused by arthritis, bursitis or sometimes tendon pain.
The administration of a steroid injection can give very fast relief from pain, reduce the levels of inflammation and improve your mobility – all of this enables you to move and function better and therefore allows your body to gte moving again.
They are limited however, and the effects generally last about 3 months, although this can be much longer and it doesn’t ‘fix’ the underlying issue – what it gives you is a window to work in comfortably.
What are Hyaluronic Acid Injections?
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that naturally occurs in your joints. It is the chemical in synovial fluid that makes it act like a lubricant. With hyaluronic acid in your joint, the joint is lubricated and moves smoothly, with less hyaluronic acid, you joint cannot move as freely. In people with osteoarthritis, the levels of hyaluronic acid in the joint are lower, which can cause pain and stiffness.
By administering a hyaluronic acid injection to the joint, lubrication is improved reducing joint stiffness and the benefit over steroid is that it lasts longer – typically this is 6-12 months of relief. It is not however a quick pain relief like a steroid injection and is best suited for people with mild to moderate arthritis and people wanting to stay active. It is not as effective for pain f=relief from more severe arthritis.
Again, hyaluronic acid injections, if used should form part of a treatment plan, and and not as effective when used in isolation.
Steroid vs Hyaluronic Acid Injections: What’s the difference?
| Steroid Injection | Hyaluronic Acid Injection |
| Reduces Inflammation Quickly | Improves Joint Lubrication |
| Faster Pain Relief | Often Slower But Longer Lasting |
| Best for Flare-Ups | Best for Ongoing Degeneration |
| Short-term Relief | Longer Term Joint Support |
Which Conditions Can Injection Therapy Help?
- Knee Osteoarthritis
- Frozen Shoulder
- ACJ pain
- Rotator Cuff Pain
- Hip Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Tendon related pain
Do Injections Cure Arthritis
No!
An injection will not cure arthritis, but is more designed to improve pain and function, allowing you to live an active life, and engage in rehabilitation DESPITE arthritis.
Why Physiotherapy Still Matters After an Injection
Having an injection and reducing your pain creates an opportunity.
Rehabilitation will help you get stronger to support the joint or structures around the area, improve stiffness and improve adaptive movement patterns that are potentially a result of the pain that was felt.
So injections give you the window in which to carry our meaningful and well designed rehab.
What to Expect During an Injection Appointment
During an appointment, you will be fully assessed by an experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapist who may complete an ultrasound scan on the area if they deem necessary.
They will run through all the potential risks and precautions before gaining your written consent to perform the procedure when you are happy.
The injection itself is very quick and following it, there is very little downtime, allowing a few days rest is often a good idea to allow for the greatest effect but after a few days you can continue as normal.
Are Steroid and Hyaluronic Acid Injections Safe?
Yes, both are relatively safe, although there are some risks that come with piercing the skin and injection a substance into the body, your clinician will go through these with you before proceeding but here are the more common ones:
Common Side Effects of Steroid Injections
Steroid (corticosteroid) injections are generally very safe when performed appropriately, but like any medical treatment they can have side effects.
Most Common Side Effects
- Temporary increase in pain after the injection (“steroid flare”)
- Mild swelling or irritation around the injection site
- Bruising
- Redness or warmth
- Temporary stiffness
Less Common Side Effects
- Skin thinning or lightening around the injection site
- Temporary rise in blood sugar levels (especially in diabetic patients)
- Facial flushing
- Temporary disruption to sleep or mood changes
- Tendon weakening if repeatedly injected into the same area
Rare but Important Risks
- Infection
- Allergic reaction
- Bleeding
- Damage to surrounding tissue
Common Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid Injections
Hyaluronic acid injections are designed to improve lubrication within the joint and are commonly used for osteoarthritis.
Most Common Side Effects
- Mild pain or discomfort after injection
- Swelling around the joint
- Warmth or tenderness
- Temporary stiffness
- Mild bruising
Less Common Side Effects
- Fluid build-up in the joint
- Temporary flare-up of inflammation
- Itching or skin irritation
Rare but Important Risks
- Infection
- Allergic reaction
- Significant inflammatory reaction (“pseudo-septic reaction”)
Injection Therapy in Colchester at Reflex-18
In June 2026, we will be adding steroid injections and hyaluronic acid injections to our list of services at Reflex-18 in Stanway at our Angora site. This will allow you to receive your injection and rehabilitation in the same place, with clinicians working together.