How Long Does a Steroid Injection Last?
Updated: Sep 3
Steroid injections are one of the most commonly used treatments for painful joints, inflamed tendons, bursitis, and nerve-related pain. One of the most frequent questions I get asked in clinic is:
"How long will the injection last?"
The honest answer is that it depends on several factors, including the condition being treated, the severity of the problem, and how your body responds to the medication.
However, understanding what to expect can help you decide whether a steroid injection is the right option for you.
Can A Steroid Injection Cure The Problem?
In some cases, yes.
Whilst many people view steroid injections as a temporary treatment, certain conditions can resolve completely following an injection, particularly when the inflammation is caught early and the underlying cause is addressed.
In my clinical practice, conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and bursitis often respond extremely well to steroid injections. I would estimate that approximately 70% of patients experience significant long-term improvement or complete resolution of their symptoms following treatment.
However, chronic degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis are different. Arthritis is a long-term condition involving wear and degeneration of the joint surfaces, meaning that whilst a steroid injection can help reduce inflammation and pain, it cannot reverse the underlying arthritis itself.
For this reason, the average duration of relief from a steroid injection for osteoarthritis is typically around three months, although some patients may experience benefits for considerably longer.
For patients with osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid injections may also be worth considering. Unlike steroids, hyaluronic acid acts as a lubricant and shock absorber within the joint. Current evidence suggests that hyaluronic acid injections can provide approximately 6–9 months of symptom relief in suitable patients, with some individuals reporting benefits lasting even longer.
At Elite Joint Solutions, we regularly discuss both treatment options and tailor our recommendations to each patient's symptoms, goals, and stage of disease.
A steroid injection contains a powerful anti-inflammatory medication called a corticosteroid.
Unlike anabolic steroids used by bodybuilders, corticosteroids are designed to reduce inflammation and swelling within tissues.
The steroid is often mixed with a local anaesthetic, which can provide temporary pain relief within minutes or hours of the procedure.
The aim of the injection is to reduce inflammation sufficiently to allow symptoms to settle and normal function to return.
a patient revieving an injection for carpal tunnel syndrome a specialist giving a hyaluronic acid injection for tennis elbow A expert giving a steroid injection for toe arthritis
How Long Does a steroid injection Take To Work?
Many injections contain a local anaesthetic which may provide immediate relief for several hours.
Once the anaesthetic wears off, symptoms often return temporarily.
The steroid itself usually begins working within:
24–72 hours in some patients
1–2 weeks in most patients
Up to 6 weeks in certain conditions
For this reason, it is important not to judge the success of the injection too early.
How long does a steroid inejction last?
The duration of benefit varies significantly.
Research suggests that the average duration of relief from a steroid injection is approximately three months, although results vary considerably between individuals.
Some patients experience:
A few weeks of relief
Several months of relief
More than a year of relief
Complete resolution of symptoms
Others may unfortunately experience little or no improvement.
Conditions That Often Respond Well To Steroid Injections
Shoulder Bursitis
Subacromial bursitis often responds very well to corticosteroid injections.
Many patients experience significant pain reduction that allows them to sleep comfortably and participate more effectively in rehabilitation exercises.
Steroid injections can be particularly helpful during the painful inflammatory phase of frozen shoulder.
By reducing inflammation, patients are often able to regain movement more comfortably. In my clinical experience, a single steroid injection is often sufficient to bring the pain under good control, allowing patients to engage more effectively with their rehabilitation exercises. This is important because regular stretching and mobility exercises play a key role in restoring movement and facilitating recovery over time.
Whilst the injection itself does not "cure" the frozen shoulder, it can create a valuable window of opportunity in which patients can rehabilitate more comfortably and often recover more quickly.
If symptoms remain troublesome, I will often administer up to three steroid injections over an eight-week period to help bring the inflammation and pain under control. The aim is to make rehabilitation exercises more tolerable and maximise recovery.
If, however, pain and stiffness continue to persist despite physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and injection therapy, I would usually recommend considering a hydrodilatation procedure. Hydrodilatation involves injecting a larger volume of fluid into the shoulder joint capsule under imaging guidance to stretch the tight capsule and improve movement. Research suggests this can be particularly beneficial in patients with persistent frozen shoulder who have not responded adequately to more conservative treatments.
Steroid injections can reduce inflammation within arthritic joints and provide meaningful short-term relief.
Research suggests that relief typically lasts around 6–12 weeks, although some patients report benefits for much longer.
Trigger Finger
Trigger finger often responds extremely well to steroid injections, with many patients avoiding the need for surgery.
In my clinical experience, this is one of the most successful injections that I perform. Based on my treatment outcomes, I would estimate that approximately 70% of patients experience complete resolution of their symptoms following a single injection.
A further 20–25% of patients may require repeat injections over time. The duration of relief can vary considerably, with some patients requiring a further injection within 6 months, whilst others remain symptom-free for 1–2 years or longer before symptoms return.
Fortunately, only a small proportion of patients fail to respond to injection therapy. In my experience, less than 5% of patients ultimately require surgical intervention to release the affected tendon.
Whilst no treatment can guarantee success, steroid injection remains an excellent first-line treatment for trigger finger and, in the vast majority of cases, can either cure the condition or provide significant long-term relief without the need for surgery.
Steroid injections can reduce swelling around the median nerve and often provide substantial symptom relief, particularly in mild to moderate cases.
In my clinical experience, this is one of the top three most successful injections that I perform. Similar to trigger finger, I find that the success rate is approximately 60–70%, with many patients experiencing long-term relief and, in some cases, complete resolution of their symptoms following treatment.
The recurrence rate is generally higher than that seen with trigger finger. I find that approximately 30–40% of patients require repeat injections at some stage. The duration of relief can vary considerably, ranging from as little as 3 months to as much as 2 years before symptoms return.
For patients who experience recurrent symptoms, repeat injections can often form part of a successful long-term management strategy. However, in a small proportion of cases, injection therapy is unsuccessful or provides only short-lived relief. In my practice, approximately 10% of patients ultimately require referral for a surgical opinion, particularly where symptoms are severe, persistent, or associated with muscle weakness or wasting of the thumb muscles.
Overall, steroid injection remains an excellent treatment option for many patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and can often delay or completely avoid the need for surgery when used in appropriately selected patients.
Clinical Tip: Patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome tend to achieve the best results when injections are combined with simple measures such as wearing a night splint and performing regular median nerve gliding exercises. These approaches can help reduce pressure on the nerve and improve long-term outcomes.
Inflammation around the greater trochanter (often referred to as trochanteric bursitis or greater trochanteric pain syndrome) commonly responds well to steroid injections, particularly when combined with physiotherapy, strengthening exercises, and lifestyle modification.
In my clinical practice, I find the results from hip bursitis injections to be more variable than conditions such as trigger finger or carpal tunnel syndrome. This is often due to factors such as the chronicity of the condition, underlying tendon pathology, biomechanics, activity levels, and lifestyle factors that continue to place stress on the area.
Based on my experience, I would estimate that approximately 30% of patients experience complete resolution of their symptoms following injection therapy.
A further 50% of patients obtain good pain relief but experience a recurrence of symptoms at some stage. The duration of benefit varies considerably, with recurrence occurring anywhere from 3 months to 1 year after treatment.
Unfortunately, in approximately 20% of cases, the injection provides little or no meaningful benefit. In these situations, further investigation may be required to assess for alternative diagnoses, such as gluteal tendinopathy, lumbar spine referral, hip osteoarthritis, or other causes of lateral hip pain.
For this reason, I generally view steroid injections for hip bursitis as one component of a broader treatment strategy. The best long-term results are usually achieved when injection therapy is combined with targeted strengthening exercises, activity modification, weight management where appropriate, and treatment of any contributing biomechanical factors.
This version frames the lower success rate positively and reinforces your expertise by explaining why outcomes vary, rather than simply presenting the statistics.
What Factors Influence How Long The Injection Lasts?
The Underlying Diagnosis
Inflammatory conditions generally respond better than conditions where significant structural damage has occurred.
Severity Of The Problem
The earlier a condition is treated, the more likely it is to respond favourably.
Long-standing problems can still improve, but the response may be less predictable.
Activity Levels
Returning too quickly to high levels of activity can sometimes reduce the duration of benefit.
This is why we often recommend a short period of relative rest following treatment.
Rehabilitation
The injection itself does not fix the underlying cause.
Combining an injection with physiotherapy, strengthening exercises, and lifestyle modification often produces the best long-term outcomes.
Can Steroid Injections Be Repeated?
In many cases, yes.
However, there is no universal rule that applies to every patient or every body part.
Factors we consider include:
Age
Overall health
Diabetes
Bone health
Previous response to injections
Number of previous injections
Location being treated
As a rough guide, many clinicians prefer not to repeatedly inject the same area too frequently.
A discussion with a qualified clinician is important to determine what is appropriate in your individual case.
Are There Any Side Effects of a steroid inejction?
Steroid injections are generally very safe when performed appropriately, but potential side effects include:
Temporary increase in pain (post-injection flare)
Facial flushing
Skin thinning
Fat atrophy around the injection site
Elevated blood sugars in diabetic patients
Infection (rare)
These risks should always be discussed before treatment.
For some conditions, particularly osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid injections may be an alternative option.
Unlike steroids, hyaluronic acid works by improving lubrication and shock absorption within the joint.
Whilst steroid injections typically provide relief for around three months on average, hyaluronic acid injections can sometimes provide benefits for six to nine months or longer in suitable patients.
At Elite Joint Solutions, we regularly discuss both options with patients to determine which treatment is most appropriate for their circumstances.
How We Approach Injection Therapy At Elite Joint Solutions
At Elite Joint Solutions, every patient undergoes a detailed assessment before any injection is considered.
Our aim is not simply to reduce pain temporarily but to help patients achieve long-term improvement in function and quality of life.
Final Thoughts
The average steroid injection provides around three months of pain relief, but results vary considerably depending on the condition being treated and individual patient factors. Whilst hyaluronic acid injections on average can give 6-12 months of relief.
For some patients, an injection can provide long-lasting relief and allow them to return to normal activities. For others, it may provide a valuable window of opportunity to engage in rehabilitation and address the underlying cause of the problem.
If you are considering a steroid injection or hyaluronic acid injection and would like to discuss whether it is suitable for your condition, contact Elite Joint Solutions to arrange an assessment. Elite Joint Solutions | Physiotherapy, Injections & Pain Management in Bristol
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