Cortisone (steroid) injections are widely used to calm down painful or inflamed joints and tendons especially in the knee, shoulder, hip and spine. One of the first questions people ask is: “How long will it last?”
The honest answer is: it depends. For many people, a cortisone shot lasts a few weeks to a few months. Some people get longer relief, while others get only a short period of comfort and that usually depends on the joint, the condition, and how much you use it afterwards.
How Does a Cortisone Injection Work?
Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine. When it’s injected directly into an inflamed area, it:
- reduces swelling and irritation,
- reduces pain signals from the joint, and
- makes movement easier.
Because it’s placed into the painful area, it can work better than tablets for some patients.
Typical Timeline After a Cortisone Shot
- Day 0-1: You may feel numb or comfortable from the local anaesthetic. Sometimes the joint aches.
- Day 1-2: A small number of people get a cortisone flare; that's temporary increased pain.
- Day 2-5: The steroid starts to work and pain begins to improve.
- Week 1 onwards: You should feel the full benefit.
Duration: Relief may last from several weeks up to a few months.
What Affects How Long It Lasts?
These are the main things that decide how long a cortisone injection will help:
- The joint: knee and shoulder often do well; weight-bearing joints can wear off faster.
- The problem: mild-moderate arthritis usually responds longer than very advanced arthritis.
- Your activity level: heavy, repetitive or impact activities can shorten how long it lasts.
- Weight / load on the joint: higher load = more stress on the joint.
- Other treatments: if you combine the injection with strengthening, physio and weight loss, the benefit tends to last longer.
How Long Does It Last by Joint?
Knee (arthritis / inflammation)
Often improves within a few days and can last 6-12 weeks. Some patients get 3 months or more, especially if they offload the knee.
Shoulder (impingement, bursitis, frozen shoulder)
Can give very good relief for weeks to a few months. If the underlying cause (like posture or tendon overload) isn’t addressed, symptoms can return quicker.
Hip / trochanteric bursa
Relief may last weeks to months, but load and walking distance can shorten the effect.
Spine / nerve root / small joints
Varies a lot - sometimes only weeks, sometimes several months - depending on the reason for the injection.
What if My Pain Gets Worse First?
This is likely a cortisone flare. It happens when the steroid crystal irritates the joint briefly.
- Starts within 24-48 hours
- Feels achy, sometimes hot
- Settles with ice, rest and paracetamol/ibuprofen (if suitable)
- Usually gone in 1-3 days
If pain is still bad after a week, or the joint is very red or you have fever, you should contact the doctor who did the injection.
How Often Can You Have a Cortisone Injection?
Most guidelines and specialists suggest not having steroid injections too frequently in the same joint. A common rule is:
- Up to 3-4 times per year in the same joint, ideally spaced out
- Leave several weeks to months between injections
- If it only lasts a few days each time, we rethink the diagnosis or treatment
Your own medical history (e.g. diabetes, anticoagulants, infection risk) may mean we recommend less frequent injections.
How to Make the Pain Relief Last Longer
- Rest the joint for 24-48 hours after the injection
- Follow your physio / strengthening programme
- Lose a little weight if it’s a weight-bearing joint like the knee or hip
- Wear supportive footwear
- Avoid sudden spikes in activity
- Consider switching to hyaluronic acid (Durolane) if you want a non-steroid option for the knee
What If the Cortisone Shot Didn’t Last Long?
That can happen - especially in advanced arthritis or very active patients. It doesn’t always mean the injection was done badly. It may mean that:
- the arthritis is more severe,
- the joint is being overloaded, or
- you might do better with a different injection (e.g. Durolane / hyaluronic acid) or a different treatment.
This is why we usually reassess you if pain returns sooner than expected.
Thinking About a Cortisone Injection?
We offer private, same-week appointments for steroid injections for the knee, shoulder and other joints. We’ll explain how long it’s likely to last in your case — and whether a gel (hyaluronic acid) injection might last longer.
CALL NOW to Book a Joint Injection