Image guidance reduces uncertainty around needle placement, but no injection is risk-free and no procedure guarantees benefit.
Common or usually minor effects
- Brief pain from local anaesthetic or needle placement.
- Temporary soreness, bruising or a small amount of bleeding.
- A short-lived pain flare after the injection.
- Dizziness, nausea or a vasovagal reaction.
- Temporary numbness or weakness from local anaesthetic.
Medication-related effects
Corticosteroid can temporarily raise blood glucose and may cause flushing, sleep disturbance, mood change or transient blood-pressure effects. Repeated or poorly targeted steroid exposure can affect tissues and should be considered in the context of the diagnosis, previous injections and cumulative treatment plan.
Local skin or fat thinning and colour change can occur if steroid is deposited superficially. Direct injection into tendon substance may weaken tissue, which is one reason accurate target selection matters.
Uncommon but important risks
- Infection in the skin, soft tissue, joint, spine or deeper target.
- Bleeding or haematoma, particularly in patients with clotting disorders or blood-thinning medication.
- Allergic reaction to contrast, local anaesthetic, antiseptic, dressing or injected medication.
- Nerve irritation or injury.
- Unintended injection into a blood vessel or another structure.
- Dural puncture and low-pressure headache after selected spinal procedures.
- Pneumothorax for procedures close to the lung.
- Rare serious neurological complications from spinal procedures.
Why an injection may not work
- The injected structure was not the main source of symptoms.
- Several structures are contributing to the pain.
- The pathology is mechanical or structurally advanced rather than primarily inflammatory.
- The medication provides only temporary suppression of inflammation.
- Rehabilitation, load modification or broader medical treatment is still required.
- The condition needs surgical or specialist management.
A procedure is part of a pathway
The best use of an image-guided injection is usually within a broader plan that includes diagnosis, appropriate imaging, clinical review and rehabilitation. Repeating an injection without reviewing why the previous treatment failed may expose the patient to risk without improving the treatment strategy.
| Imaging guidance can confirm delivery to the intended target. It cannot prove in advance that the target is the cause of pain or that the injected medication will create lasting benefit. |
Related Patient Guides
- PG7001 Specialist Image-Guided Injections: Why Imaging Guidance Matters
- PG7002 CT-Guided Spine Injections: What Patients Should Know
- PG7003 Ultrasound-Guided Joint, Tendon and Bursa Injections
- PG7004 What to Expect During an Image-Guided Procedure
- PG7005 Preparing for an Image-Guided Injection: Medicines, Blood Thinners and Infection
- PG7006 CT Guidance or Ultrasound Guidance: Why the Modality Matters
- PG7007 Post-Injection Care: The First 24–72 Hours
- PG7008 Pain, Numbness and Weakness After an Injection: What Is Normal?
- PG7010 When to Contact MBR Health or Seek Urgent Medical Care
Frequently Asked Questions
For other FAQs please visit our FAQs page
Are serious complications common?
No. Most image-guided injections are completed without serious complication, but rare events can be significant. The consent discussion should reflect the exact procedure and anatomical region.
Is it safe to have repeated steroid injections?
There is no single safe number for every patient and target. The dose, interval, tissue, diabetes, bone health, previous response and alternatives should be reviewed before repeating treatment.
Does no response mean the procedure was inaccurate?
Not necessarily. A technically accurate procedure can fail because the target was not the main pain source or the pathology does not respond to that medication.
| Important: General information only. Your procedure, medication instructions, transport requirements and aftercare may differ. |
PATIENT GUIDE • PG-7009 [Patient information: Image guidance reduces uncertainty around needle placement, but no injection is risk-free and no procedure guarantees benefit.]
Looking for the Most Effective Pain Injection on the Gold Coast?
The most effective injection is not always the strongest medication — it is the injection placed into the correct target, for the correct diagnosis, using the most appropriate imaging guidance. At MBR Health, pain injections are planned from advanced imaging and delivered with precision, whether the target is a spinal nerve, facet joint, disc, sacroiliac joint, tendon, ligament or arthritic joint. For patients searching for the best injection for pain relief on the Gold Coast, the starting point should always be diagnosis, accuracy and treatment intent.
