> What is actually injected?
The injection consists of a mixture of local anesthetic (like lidocaine or bupivacaine) and the steroid medication (triamcinolone – Aristocort®,methylprednisolone – Depomedrol®, or betamethasone – Celestone).

> Will the injection hurt?
The procedure involves inserting a needle through skin and deeper tissues (like a "tetanus shot"). So, there is some discomfort involved. However, we numb the skin and deeper tissues with a local anesthetic using a very thin needle prior to inserting the needle into the joint. Some of the patients also receive intravenous sedation and analgesia, which makes the procedure easy to tolerate.