• Marcaine (a long anesthetic)

• Lidocaine (a shorter acting anesthetic)

• Depo-Medrol (a long acting form of cortisone)

Injection Care

The injection you have just received normally goes without incident. The injection area may be sore, throbbing or slightly swollen for one to two days. It is very important that you rest the area of the injection for 24 to 48 hours after the injection. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, applying ice to the area (10 to 15 minutes every one to two hours) for the first day or two will help decrease the pain. In addition, you may benefit from taking acetaminophen (Tylenol™) to help reduce the pain.

Usually a numbing medication is given with the injection, which can last for five to 12 hours. The actual Cortisone may take up to two to five days to take effect. If you develop any abnormal symptoms, such as itching, swelling, redness, rash, or shortness of breath, please call our office. Normally, these are temporary symptoms which resolve within a day but we are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Diabetic Warning

If you are diabetic and using insulin, this injection may elevate your blood sugar for the next one to five days. Please monitor your sugars closely and if they fail to return to acceptable levels, please contact your primary care physician.

The doctor would like you to observe the area of the injection for redness, swelling, or increased heat. If any or all of the reactions occur, please call our office as soon as possible. This reaction may indicate the first signs of infection. This is a very rare event, but best if caught early.

The duration of pain relief from these injections varies widely between patients. Some report two or more months of relief while other patients report only a few weeks of relief.