• Reference Number: HEY1005/2022
• Departments: Radiology
• Last Updated: 1 June 2022

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your procedure.  Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet.  It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and the healthcare team, but may act as a starting point for discussion.   If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team.

If you have a new / continuous cough, a high temperature/ fever or if you have been in recent contact with anyone known to have a positive COVID 19 test who  has  recognised symptoms, please ring this number for us to rearrange your appointment: 01482 622046

COVID VACCINATION /COVID BOOSTER/ FLU VACCINATION AND STEROID INJECTION:

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HAVE 2 WEEKS IN BETWEEN HAVING EITHER DOSE OF YOUR COVID VACCINATION /COVID BOOSTER /FLU VACCINATION AND YOUR STEROID INJECTION. PLEASE RING THE DEPARTMENT ON 01482 622046 IF YOU NEED TO ALTER YOUR STEROID INJECTION APPOINTMENT TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE 2 WEEKS IN BETWEEN THE VACCINATION INJECTION AND THE STEROID  INJECTION.

Why am I having this injection?

Steroid injections can be a good way of giving pain relief when the tissue is inflamed or suffering from wear and tear.

What is in the injection?

It contains local anaesthetic and corticosteroid:

• Corticosteroids have an anti-inflammatory effect
• Local anaesthetic is used to give a temporary numbing effect to make the procedure easier for you. The numbness may remain for up to six hours after the injection, to help with pain relief

What if I am taking blood thinning medication?

IF YOU ARE ON WARFARIN:

If your INR (International Normalised Ratio – a laboratory test measure of blood coagulation) level is always reliably below 3 then all you need to do is to get your INR level checked the day before the appointment with us and bring along your INR record so we can confirm your results

If your INR level sits at 3 or above, please ring our secretary on (01482) 622046 as soon as you get this letter as you will need special instructions before you come for your injection.

Also, please ring our secretary on (01482) 622046 if any of the following apply:

• You are pregnant
• You are epileptic
• You have an infection and are on or about to take antibiotics at the time of the scan

What should I expect following my injection?

It can take several days before any improvement is noticeable. During this time, you may experience an increase in pain in the injected area as the tissues can be irritated. This should only last for 48 hours.

Do I need to do anything after my injection?

• To give the injection the most successful chance of working we recommend that you rest the region that has been injected for 24 hours.
• Look out for any obvious sign of infection in the injected region and if you suspect one, report it immediately to your doctor.

Can I drive following the injection?

Yes, but we ask for you to remain in the department for 10 minutes following your injection to make sure you have no immediate side-effects before you leave.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Radiology Department on tel no: (01482) 622046.

This leaflet was produced by the Radiology Department, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and will be reviewed in March 2024

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.