Joint pain treatment (joint injections) at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park

Steroid injections to help ease pain and increase movement.

At Spire Edinburgh Hospitals, we offer a range of joint injections to help relieve inflamed, swollen and painful joints. It’s a quick procedure to inject medications directly into affected joints.

Sometimes also called

  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Hydrocortisone injections
  • Intra-articular injections
  • Steroid injections

The procedure(s) listed above are examples only and may not be available at all Spire hospitals.


At a glance

  • Typical hospital stay
    1-2 hours

  • Procedure duration
    20 minutes

  • Type of anaesthetic
    Sometimes local is used

  • Available to self-pay?
    Yes

  • Covered by health insurance?
    Yes

Why Spire?

  • Fast access to a wide range of treatments
  • Consultants who are experts in their field
  • Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost

By Wallace Health I Medically reviewed by Adrian Roberts.
Page last reviewed: October 2018 I Next review due: October 2023

Joint injections: what to expect at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals

Spire Edinburgh Hospitals has been caring for patients privately across Scotland and beyond since 1984. Our rheumatologists, orthopaedic consultants and neurosurgeons perform joint injections to help relieve chronic pain and stiffness.

We offer fast access to diagnostic tests and scans and easy booking.

How much does Joint pain treatment (joint injections) cost at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park

There are many ways to pay and our inclusive prices and access to payment plans make it easy and more affordable, even if you don’t have medical insurance.

Joint pain treatment (joint injection under X-ray control)
Initial consultation £180
Treatment price £2,074
Aftercare Included
From price From £2,254
Monthly treatment price

(Loan applicable to the treatment cost and excludes the initial consultation)

£109
Representative example
Loan amount £1,824
Deposit £250
Loan period 18 months
Representative APR 9.9%
Total amount repayable £1,962

The price shown is the ‘from price’ (ie the minimum cost of the procedure). Please note that for some procedures the actual price you are quoted may vary significantly and can increase depending on your choice of Consultant (who is an independent practitioner and not an employee of Spire). The fees charged by Consultants and Anaesthetists are set independently and are outside the control of Spire. The price may also vary depending on the type of anaesthetic, implant or drug used, and your medical history.

Spire Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park can provide you with a single, fixed price for your procedure so there are no surprises. Please read Spire Healthcare's terms and conditions for full details of what’s included and excluded in your fixed price when paying for yourself. Finance options are available through our partner Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd, 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD.

Preparing for joint injections at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals

Getting here

Spire Murrayfield is an approximate 20 minute drive east from Edinburgh Airport or 10 minutes west from Haymarket train station.

Spire Shawfair Park is to the south east of Edinburgh city centre, conveniently located close to the City Bypass and the Royal Infirmary.

Both hospitals have free parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

All your consultations will take place in one of our accessible consultation rooms. During your consultation, your consultant will:

  • Ask about your medical history
  • Assess whether you need blood tests, an X-ray and/or an MRI or CT scan so your consultant can examine your joint in more detail
  • Check to make sure the hydrocortisone injection is suitable for you
  • Explain about the procedure, anaesthetic and any potential risks and complications and how they may affect you
  • Give you a chance to ask any questions you have

Joint injections can be used to help knee pain, shoulder pain and hip pain, and in particular, pain that’s associated with osteoarthritis.

Once you have decided to go ahead with the joint injections, your consultant will outline your treatment and ongoing support plan.

Joint injections: your appointment

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
  • Your consultant will feel and flex your joint and may draw out fluid with a needle if necessary
  • Your consultant will insert a thin needle into your joint to inject the hydrocortisone, which may be mixed with a local anaesthetic to numb the area
  • Your consultant may use an X-ray machine positioned over your joint as a guide for the injection
  • Your consultant 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.

We can also offer special platelet-rich plasma injections. The plasma is taken from your own blood, and when injected into your joint, it’s intended to promote cartilage repair and relieves pain and stiffness due to osteoarthritis. Ask your consultant if this is appropriate for you.

Joint injections: your recovery

When your consultant has finished, you’ll be able to relax 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 in a few hours to a few days. Usually, the effects 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:

1-2 hours

Leave hospital

1-2 days

Rest at home

2 days

Begin moving and exercising your joint

A few days

Start to feel benefits

A few weeks to a year

May still feel the effects

  • 1-2 hours


    Leave hospital

  • 1-2 days


    Rest at home

  • 2 days


    Begin moving and exercising your joint

  • A few days


    Start to feel benefits

  • A few weeks to a year


    May still feel the effects

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.

How to get to us

Spire Murrayfield is an approximate 20 minute drive from Edinburgh Airport or 10 minutes from Haymarket train station. Regular buses serve the area well. Spire Shawfair Park is located to the south east of the city centre close to the City Bypass and the Royal Infirmary at 10 Easter Shawfair, Edinburgh, EH22 1FE.

Find us on Google maps

Spire Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park,

Spire Murrayfield Hospital
122 Corstorphine Road
Edinburgh
EH12 6UD

Get in touch

37023
True
treatment

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Submit my enquiry

https://beta.nhs.uk/medicines/hydrocortisone-injections/

https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/medicines-and-medical-aids/types-of-medicine/corticosteroids

https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/steroid-injections/when-and-how-to-take-it.aspx