Hi All,
Has anyone ever had a failed hip steroid injection? (i.e. one that didn't bring them any pain relief, or even made pain worse), but then went on to have a successful THR?
I find myself in a random position where my steroid injection has made my groin/hip pain worse. It was being used as a diagnosis excercise but hasn't helped at all. I also suffer from some chronic pain in wrists and ankles.
I'm now terrified that a THR will actually make my pain worse (given that the steroid injection should've helped if the hip was the issue).
Any advice is much appreciated!
Liam
Hi Liam
I can understand why this worries you. I'm afraid I'm not sure what to say, as my injections worked well and my consultant said it confirmed it was my hip. Despite that I am now post op and having pains in back and knees. But hip and leg considerably better.
Are you seeing your consultant? I really think this needs talking through with him/her.
Sorry not much help but think you are right to be concerned. I suppose it could be referred pain you're having, maybe. When the brain gets confused and 'tells' other muscles etc to compensate for the ones that hurt.
Good luck
Barbara
Hi Liam,
I had a steroid injection into the joint about a year and a half ago. I had undergone a hip arthroscopy which did not really work and so was asked to try the steroid injection. It did offer a little relief for few weeks but then the pain returned. At that stage I was re xrayed and it was felt that despite being 43yrs I should have the THR. I am now week 7 after operation and recovering well. I think the steroids only work when not at the stage of needing the op. I did ask for an inter-rim steroid to give me few weeks of relief but that is not recomended as it does not do bones any good, and you want your bones to be as good quality as you can.
Helen
Hi , I had a steroid inj as a firm of diagnosis , it didn't work so had a THR in a Jan . Saw consultant again yesterday and next appt in a year . I also have arthritis in other joints but your hip won't get better by itself .
Good luck
mary
Hi Liam
I had an injection but was told it was hyaluronic acid, don't know if there was a steroid e;ement to it. The injection was incredibly painful and brought very minor relief followed by rapid worsening of symptoms.
I am now 8 days post rthr and although I am obviously still sore from the op, I do feel as though it is going to be a success.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for your reply. This sounds similar to me. But if the steroid injection didn't work, then doesn't that indicate that it wasn't your hip that was the problem?
Interesting to hear though that they still went ahead with the THR.
Thanks
Hi Liam
The injection is used to help confirm that the pain is originating from the hip and not anywhere else. My hip injection gave v temp relief - few days. Hip arthritis is a funny old thing - the pain can vary - I had a week pain free pretty much recently and thought I was being a fraud. So I stopped being a house elf and drove into town and tried to shop. nonono - pain all back. It is brought on by activities.
So it may be other things you did after your injection that might have triggered pain, or a reaction to the steroid itself.
If they can see from MRI or X ray that you have arthritis and suggested a THR then you are one of many who have not had lasting or any help from a steroid injection and then gone on to successful THR. Just make sure you write to your consultant with any concerns. They do reply and it means you dont have to wait for an appointment to ask any questions
Good luck - I am in for THR on left hip 24th June
Liam i hope others can show you experience to help meanwhile for the
pain see if you can find a nearby practicioner of Scenar therapy This will take away pain meanwhile and allow surgery to remove the cause
All doctors and sarah have been amazed that i have NOT had 1 painkiller since this all started due to Scenar (developed in Russia for space
programme ) Now no pain after surgery but have one incase!
scenar signals your brain to produce endorphins/neuropeptides if you research it you will see the Australian winter olympic team also use for
injurys so athletes can continue ☺
Hi there, I had a steroid injection last year as treatment knowing I needed a THR. It made no difference at all to my pain. From what I understand there are various results. Having a THR IN 2 weeks due to OA.
They told me that if inj had worked it was not hip . My x rays didn't show extent of the prob I fact looked quite good but surgeon told me after op there was no cartilage left ?
Mary
That happened to me - the surgeon suspected more arthritis than he could see on x ray or mri. So he did an arthroscopy to try and repair the labrum but also to see inside my hip and it was in a right old state. He took photos, showed them to me with glee as evidence he could use to force the replacement surgeons to help me as otherwise they would say nothing shown on xray or MRI and i was too young. Its really worth having a consultant on your side who is prepared to do the right thing even if it gives him a "fail" on his own operation
Hi Liam. I too had the same which happened in October. I got no relief at all from the steroid injection.
I am waiting for a THR on my right hip this Monday (fingers x)
I'm now bone on bone so consultant had to act. .I'm 46. Was a fairly active mother, working p/t, cycling, driving, swimming etc. can't wait to get my life back.
Hope toy get some answers soon
best wishes
Westie ☺
Well the French doctors (and I had 3 seperate ones) have you lay on the exam table, they tell you to move your leg this way and that way and when you scream OUCH! they say, well that's your hip then.
However you said you have groin pain. Do you think you might have iliopsoas tendonitis?
Click on my name and look for a discussion I made called GROIN PAIN AFTER THR. I explain a test you can take yourself to determin if you have it or not. I had terrible terrible tendonitis in my operated leg for 2 years, it was the full length of my IT band. In fact I would say my tendonitis was more debilitating than my bad hip, it was that bad. But anyway an orthopedic surgeon treats both, treats both tendond and bones, so s/he should know. As a matter of fact my surgeon didn't even look at my x-rays, he says they don't tell you enough that it was up to me to tell him whenever I was ready for the THR as he knew simply by physically examining me I had a bad hip.
Hi Jodi,
Thanks for your reply. I've been oto your other discussion and done the physical test for iliopsoas tendonitis. I have no problem in completing this exercise without any pain so I don't think it's iliopsoas tendonitis.
But I do still have considerable pain from the groin area. MRI doesn't show much wrong outsode of hip joint. And the steroid injection into the hip didn't help either (in fact it's made the pain worse).
If you have any other ideas then I'd be extremely grateful!
Thanks,
Liam
the injextion often has die in it and that is used diagnsitcally to see if it can get into places it shpuld not get into due to arthritis.
The best person to have a look at you is an osteopath and if you are near birmingham
let me know and i will pass details on for the guy who removed so much pain as well as diagnosing Piriformis syndrome as one of my problems which he sorted. Its well worth looking up just in case.
its definitely worth seeing someone - if you can do this it will cost you no more than £60 for an initial consultation and less for any follow ups. Practitioners will do a series of tests to check you out. cheers chris
Liam is absolutely right. The reason your Consultant referred you for a hip steroid injection is to find out where the pain is coming from. Mary I am afraid your information is incorrect. Hip steroid injections are given to find out where the pain lies. If the injection has worked that means he will refer you for THR. If it has not worked further investigations are need to find the source of pain.
Hi Rosie, I read with interest your post. I too had steroid hip inj 9 days ago and very little improvement. My groin pain seems worse. Did u have groin pain pre op. I would like to know if your op was successful. I assume you had the same hip you had yr inj operated on? Hope to hear from you.
Hi Christine.hope your op was successful. I had similar to you. 9 days ago I had a left steroid hip inj. Was good for about 3 days so went out for a walk, fed up of being at home all the time. Felt good till the evening when my usual groin pain returned plus some!! However it's my right hip that had severe arthritis they tell me so now I'm thinking if I have THR in right hip what will happen about my left hip mild to moderate osteoarthritis. I'm beginning to wonder just to stick with pain as it is and make do. I'm due to see them in 5 weeks so lots of questions and decisions to be made. I really would like to know if yr groin pain has gone post op?
No advice Liam - sorry! But I am in exactly the same situation - exactly - and you have all my sympathy. Hope it works out for you!
I've just had the steroid injection - it took 7 days for the pain relief to be of benefit, but I am now 15 days in and the pain is a lot better, but not 100% pain free. The pain was intially worse (almost got to a hip version of childbirth!!) I would say if the pain was 8/10 before I am at max 2/10 of pain so no need for paracetamol. I thought it would never kick in! Maybe yours might?
I too am in the same stage as you - I am off to see two hip surgeons on the 7th and 8th Dec to take their advice (8th is a second opinion and he is a research surgeon). I dont think this steroid is going to last at all, and my surgeon did say they don't always work if that gives you any comfort, and I too share your worries and am glued to all of these discussions! I know with my own scan the MRI didn't show the osteoarthritis but my Xray did (and this is common apparently) - I have some tasty osteocytes . spurs etc - have you had this done? I had friends winding me up about the steroid not working as much as I had hoped but draw comfort from my scan (and my 1st surgeon's comments) if that is of help.
In the meantime I have read up on the internet about post hip op exercise for life, am doing polatis and have decided I will put my aching hip through exercises I want to sustain for life(cycling, swiming, walking, upper weights no lunges or squats), work my hip muscles up pre op and am pretty sure the hip replacement will happen in the next 6 months.
Good luck!