Hip Joint Injection – Indications, Procedure, Risk

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 3 min read

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Cortisone shot - hip; Hip injection; Intra-articular steroid injections - hip A hip injection is a shot of medicine into the hip joint. The medicine helps relieve pain and inflammation. It can also help diagnose the source of hip pain. Description For this procedure, a...

For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

এই তথ্য শিক্ষা ও সচেতনতার জন্য। এটি ডাক্তারি পরীক্ষা, রোগ নির্ণয় বা প্রেসক্রিপশনের বিকল্প নয়।

Article Summary

Key Takeaways

This article explains Description in simple medical language.
This article explains Why the Procedure is Performed in simple medical language.
This article explains Risks in simple medical language.
This article explains Before the Procedure in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Cortisone shot – hip; Hip injection; Intra-articular steroid injections – hip

A hip injection is a shot of medicine into the hip joint. The medicine helps relieve pain and infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation. It can also help diagnose the source of hip pain.

Description

For this procedure, a health care provider inserts a needle in the hip and injects medicine into the joint. The provider uses a real-time x-ray (fluoroscopy) to see where to place the needle in the joint.

You may be given medicine to help you relax.

For the procedure:

You will lie on the x-ray table, and your hip area will be cleaned.
A numbing medicine will be applied to the injection site.
A small needle will be guided into the joint area while the provider watches the placement on the screen.
Once the needle is in the right spot, a small amount of contrast dye is injected so the provider can see where to place the medicine.
The steroid medicine is slowly injected into the joint.

After the injection, you will remain on the table for another 5 to 10 minutes or so. Your provider will then ask you to move the hip to see if it is still painful. It may be a few days before you notice any pain relief.

Why the Procedure is Performed

The hip injection is done to reduce hip pain caused by problems in the bones or cartilage of your hip. The hip pain is often caused by:

Bursitis
pain, swelling, stiffness, or reduced movement. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের প্রদাহ।" data-rx-term="arthritis" data-rx-definition="Arthritis means joint inflammation causing pain, swelling, stiffness, or reduced movement. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের প্রদাহ।">Arthritis
Injury to the hip joint or surrounding area
Overuse or tendon. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।" data-rx-term="strain" data-rx-definition="A strain is injury to a muscle or tendon. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।">strain from running or other activities

A hip injection can also help diagnose hip pain. If the shot does not relieve pain within a few days, then the hip joint may not be the source of hip pain.

Risks

Risks are rare, but may include:

Bruising
Swelling
Skin irritation
Allergic reaction to medicine
Infection
Bleeding in the joint
Weakness in the leg

Before the Procedure

Tell your health care provider about:

Any health problems
Medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines
Any allergies

Plan ahead to have someone drive you home after the procedure.

After the Procedure

You may ice your hip if you have swelling or pain (wrap the ice in a towel to protect your skin).
Avoid strenuous activity the day of the procedure.
DO NOT drive the day of the procedure.
You may resume most normal activities the next day.
Take pain medicines as directed.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most people feel less pain after a hip injection.

You may notice reduced pain 15 to 20 minutes after the injection.
Pain may return in 4 to 6 hours as the numbing medicine can wear off
As the steroid medicine begins to take affect 2 to 7 days later, your hip joint should feel less painful.

You may need more than one injection. How long the shot lasts varies from person to person, and depends on the cause of the pain. For some, it can last weeks or months.

Open References

References

Arthrocentesis and Injection of Joints and Soft Tissue. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, McInnes IB, O’Dell JR. eds. Kelley’s Textbook of Rheumatology . 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 5.

Malfair D. Therapeutic and diagnostic joint injections. Radiologic Clinics of North America . 2008;46,(3):439-53. PMID: 18707956 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707956 .

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Orthopedic doctor, rheumatologist, or physiotherapist depending on cause.

What to tell the doctor

Write which joints hurt, swelling, morning stiffness duration, fever, injury, and walking difficulty.
Bring X-ray, uric acid, ESR/CRP, rheumatoid factor, or previous reports if available.

Questions to ask

Is this injury, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, infection, or another cause?
Which exercises, supports, or lifestyle changes are safe?
Do I need blood tests or X-ray?

Tests to discuss

Joint examination and range of motion
X-ray when chronic arthritis or injury is suspected
ESR/CRP, uric acid, rheumatoid tests when inflammatory arthritis is suspected

Avoid these mistakes

Do not ignore hot swollen joint with fever.
Avoid repeated steroid injections/tablets without a clear diagnosis and follow-up.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Rest, drink safe water, and observe symptoms carefully.
Keep a written note of symptoms, duration, temperature, medicines already taken, and allergy history.
Seek medical care quickly if symptoms are severe, worsening, or unusual for the patient.

OTC medicine safety

For mild pain or fever, ask a registered pharmacist or doctor before using common over-the-counter pain/fever medicines.
Do not combine multiple pain medicines without advice, especially if you have kidney disease, liver disease, stomach ulcer, asthma, pregnancy, or take blood thinners.
Do not give adult medicines to children unless a qualified clinician advises it.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Severe symptoms, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe dehydration, or sudden weakness need urgent medical care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider

Tests to discuss with doctor

Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.