How much does a cortisone injection cost privately in the UK?

What is a cortisone injection?

A cortisone injection, also called a steroid or corticosteroid injection, puts an anti-inflammatory medicine directly into or around a painful joint, tendon or bursa. It is often mixed with a local anaesthetic. The aim is to reduce the swelling, pain and stiffness caused by inflammation (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 2026).

Common reasons people have one include:

• Frozen shoulder, where a review of 65 trials and 4,097 people found an injection into the shoulder joint was the only treatment clearly better for pain and function in the first 12 weeks, ideally alongside a home exercise programme (Challoumas et al., 2020).
• Knee osteoarthritis, where NHS commissioners in Cheshire and Merseyside describe the benefit as short-term pain relief (Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, 2023).
• Outer hip pain (greater trochanteric pain syndrome, often called hip bursitis), where an injection may help in the short term so that you can do your exercises (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.).
• Tennis elbow, although here the evidence needs care. A large review found injections helped at around 4 weeks but outcomes were worse at 6 and 12 months than with other approaches (Orchard, 2011).

Cortisone is a prescription-only medicine. In the UK it can only be given after an assessment by, or under the direction of, a qualified prescriber (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2025).

How much does a private cortisone injection cost?

There is no standard price. Published prices from UK private providers range from under £100 for the injection alone to several hundred pounds for a package, and some providers quote figures up to £1,000. The headline price is not always the total, so check exactly what it covers.

Why the prices vary

• Assessment. Some prices include a consultation and examination, others add it on top.
• Who prescribes and injects. A consultant in a London hospital setting usually costs more than an experienced physiotherapist prescriber in a community clinic.
• The medication. Some clinics include the drug, others list it separately.
• Ultrasound guidance. Using ultrasound to watch the needle adds equipment and training costs, and is sometimes charged as a separate scan.
• Follow-up. A review appointment may or may not be part of the fee.

Getting a steroid injection on the NHS

Steroid injections are available free on the NHS. For knee osteoarthritis, the Cheshire and Merseyside policy says injections should normally be given in primary care, such as by your GP practice or community musculoskeletal service, with hospital injections funded only when certain criteria are met (Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, 2023).

Waits vary by area and service. If you are referred on for consultant-led care in England, the NHS standard is a maximum of 18 weeks from referral to treatment, although there are exceptions (NHS, 2024).

What to check before you book

Who is prescribing and who is injecting?

Physiotherapists can give injections if they have completed recognised training. Because cortisone is prescription-only, the clinic needs a legal way to supply it: an independent prescriber, a Patient Group Direction, or a private prescription from a doctor for you specifically (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2025). Ask which applies.

Is it ultrasound guided?

Ultrasound guidance improves the accuracy of needle placement (Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, 2023). It does not guarantee a better result for every condition, but it does mean the clinician can see where the medicine is going.

Is the drug included?

Ask for one price covering the assessment, the medication and any scan.

Is there follow-up?

An injection works best as part of a plan. Ask what happens if it does not help, and whether a review is included.

How many injections have you had?

Repeated injections into the same area carry a risk of damaging cartilage and tendons (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 2026). One NHS rheumatology department says it does not usually give more than 3 steroid injections into the same joint in a year (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, 2023). A good clinic will ask about your history before injecting again. Our injections guide covers the options in more detail.

Side effects and who should not have one

Most people have no side effects (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, 2023). Those that do happen include:

• A flare of pain for up to 2 days, in about 1 in 10 people.
• Facial redness for a few hours.
• Thinning of fat or a change in skin colour where the needle went in, which can be permanent.
• Raised blood sugar, in about 1 in 100 people with diabetes.
• Changes to periods or unexpected vaginal bleeding.
• Rarely, infection or an allergic reaction.

(Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 2026)

You may not be able to have an injection if you feel unwell or have an infection, are taking antibiotics, are allergic to steroids or local anaesthetic, have diabetes that is hard to control, are having surgery in that area within a week, or have had or are due a vaccine within 2 weeks (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 2026). If you take warfarin, you may need an INR blood test first (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, 2023).

How long does a cortisone injection last?

It usually starts working in 1 to 2 days, and relief typically lasts around 6 weeks, although some people get longer (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 2026). Another NHS leaflet describes anything from a few weeks to several months, with some people getting relief for longer still (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, 2023). Some people notice no benefit at all.

That is why we see an injection as a window rather than a fix. Settling the pain gives you the chance to do the exercises and physiotherapy that build lasting strength and movement.