Cortisone injection base of thumb. Should it be incredibly painful after?

[FreezingThyme]

I had 2 occipital nerve blocks and a cortisone injection in my thumb this afternoon. I’ve had the occipital ones before and they’ve been fine. Same with todays. Back of my head felt numb, that wore off and it now feels a little bit stiff. My thumb is so bloody painful though. It hurt a lot at the time, didn’t go numb and is just getting more sore as the evening goes on. I’ve put Ice on, taken painkillers etc but I can’t hold anything, it’s throbbing and the pain feels sickly. Is this normal? No idea how I’m going to get any sleep 😬. If anyone has had one was this what it was like for you and how long was it painful for.

Cortisone injections are fucking painful. I had them in my elbow in the past - the pain lasted several days and up to two weeks I'm afraid. Hope yours passes quicker.

theyre incredibly painful yes! Never had one in my thumb but generally they hurt like fuck

I had one in my shoulder. Bloody agony for days. Hope you feel better soon

I have them in my joints for arthritis. Only once had one in a finger joint and vowed never again as it's so bloody painful. I hope it gets better for you soon.

When a joint is already swollen, to add in an extra few ml of steroid is a lot. I was fortunate in my last intra articular one in my ankle that the consultant used one with a local anaesthetic too - the time at another hospital where they didn't, I was left 10 miles from home unable to walk to the bus stop.

i had one in the place between my thumb and finger and one in my wrist a couple of months ago - i was in so much pain for a few days. but i took some ibufprofen and it definitely helped.

Sorry you’ve all been in so much pain too. I was just hoping nothing had gone wrong as the neck and shoulder ones I’ve had have been nothing like this thumb one. I can’t use my right hand at the moment it’s so sore with intermittent stabbing pains .

Sounds like you're having what's called a steroid flare. It can be a side effect of cortisone injections. It should ease in 3-5 days but if it doesn't, see your doctor.

I was told by my consultant that the level of pain is sometimes due to the carrier that the steroid is dissolved in rather than the injection itself. The oil based ones were more painful apparently. I had one in my wrist which was fine and a different one on another occasion which felt like I'd slammed my wrist in a car door for the next day or so.

HundredMiles. Thanks for the advice. I can barely tell I’ve had the occipital nerve block now, but oh boy my thumb pain is very unpleasant. I’ve got an ice pack on again. I thought it might be a painful area to have injected but wasn’t expecting the pain afterwards to be this bad. It wasn’t mentioned at the appointment.

Just had thumb shot yesterday. Wasn't that bad, but today! Can't grip or do anything. Pure misery. I read online that it's called Cortisone Flare. 2-3 days before it goes away.

CHARLIEOFUSA. I’m so sorry you’ve had the same pain after. I had another occipital nerve block last week and it was absolutely fine but I decided not to get a repeat thumb injection after my first experience last October. I hope you are soon over the worst. I think this steroid flare (which I’d never heard of) sounds like what I had. I couldn’t grip, hold or bear any pressure on it for about 4 days. Pure misery is exactly right. Feel better soon