Tendons are strong cords that attach muscles to bones.After this time, it’s important to continue with any exercises given to you by your health professional. But if you have a condition like rheumatoid arthritis, injections will be only one part of your treatment plan. There is a small risk that if you exercise a joint too much immediately after a steroid injection you could damage the tendon. Steroid injections can be a key part of a treatment plan for many autoimmune and joint conditions. They will be carried out by a healthcare professional in a hospital, clinic or doctors’ surgery.You may need an ultrasound scan to find where the inflammation is, so the steroid can be injected into a precise spot and have maximum benefit. However, if you’re taking a drug that thins the blood, known as an anticoagulant (for example, warfarin), you may need an extra blood test to make sure that your blood is not too thin to have the injection. This may be more likely if you have a history of mood disturbance. You may be advised to have less than that depending on your symptoms.If you have a condition called haemophilia (he-mer-fill-ee-ur), which means your blood doesn’t clot properly, you’ll need to discuss this with your doctor, as you could be at an increased risk of bleeding into the joint.It’s important not to overdo it for the first two weeks after a steroid injection. They can be a little uncomfortable at the time of injection, but many people feel that this is not as bad as they feared.Occasionally people notice a flare-up in their joint pain within the first 24 hours after an injection. Registered office: Copeman House, St Mary’s Court, St Mary’s Gate, Chesterfield S41 7TD. Soluble means that the drug dissolves quickly in your body and starts working quickly.Other steroid injections take around a week to become effective but can ease your symptoms for two months or longer. Oral or IV steroids donât guarantee how much of the medication will reach the problem area.Steroid injections are one of the most effective ways to ease Pain relief from a steroid shot is different for each person. Some steroids occur naturally in the human body. An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of a body. Too much steroid treatment for children could affect their growth. This will depend on your condition and symptoms.They may want to check your blood pressure and blood sugar levels before your first injection as steroid injections can cause these to rise. You may be advised to adjust your warfarin dose before having the steroid injection.Steroid injections reduce the effect of your body’s immune system in the short term. You may have some numbness from the anaesthetic that could last up to 24 hours.Loose-fitting clothes may be more comfortable if you’re going for a steroid injection.You might be advised to wait for 10 to 15 minutes in the clinic after your steroid injection. Steroid injections can be very effective but should be used with other treatments. Common examples of steroid injections are:Some steroid injections start to relieve pain within hours and the effects should last about a week. "Medscape: "Corticosteroid Injections of Joints and Soft Tissues. This usually settles by itself within a couple of days, but taking simple The risk of side effects is greatest with the stronger mixtures – methylprednisolone and triamcinolone.Injections can occasionally cause some thinning or changes in the colour of the skin at the injection site, particularly with the stronger ones.Very rarely you may get an infection in the joint at the time of an injection. If, however, you’re pregnant or breastfeeding you should discuss it with your doctor before having a steroid injection.Versus Arthritis was formed in 2018 following a merger of Arthritis Care and Arthritis Research UK.© Versus Arthritis 2018. However, steroid injections should be used with care in young people.