What to expect from a cortisone injection for frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves pain and tightening around the shoulder capsule. The clinician may inject the joint after cleaning the skin; local anaesthetic and ultrasound guidance may be used. You can expect brief pressure or stinging. The medicine aims to calm inflammation and pain, especially when movement is difficult, rather than instantly release the tightened capsule.

Some soreness can occur after the procedure. People with diabetes should ask about monitoring blood glucose because cortisone can temporarily affect it. Discuss infection, allergies, blood-thinning medicines, and previous injection reactions before treatment.

Keep the shoulder comfortable on the day of treatment and avoid heavy or sudden overhead activity. When advised, begin gentle range-of-motion work; a physiotherapist can tailor exercises for reaching, dressing, sleeping positions, and shoulder rotation. Stretching should be controlled rather than forced, because provoking a strong flare can interrupt progress.

Use the agreed pain-relief plan and record changes in sleep, reaching, and dressing. Improvement may make movement easier before the shoulder is fully flexible. Continue the rehabilitation schedule even when pain decreases, and review the plan if progress stalls.

Contact your clinician for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, fever, or pain that keeps worsening. Seek urgent help for breathing trouble, facial swelling, faintness, or widespread hives. Arrange review if the shoulder suddenly becomes much weaker, movement deteriorates, or severe pain persists despite the advised plan.

Ask whether the injection will be joint-directed, when to start exercises, which movements to avoid, how diabetes monitoring should be handled, and what the next step is if stiffness remains.