Yes. A cortisone injection can reduce pain from frozen shoulder and may make it easier to move your arm, especially when symptoms have only recently started. The medicine reduces inflammation inside the shoulder joint, but it does not instantly loosen all the tight tissue or guarantee a full recovery. It is usually one part of care, alongside gentle exercises or physiotherapy, and its benefit may be temporary.
How does a cortisone injection help frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, develops when the tissue surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened and tight. This can cause ongoing pain and make movements such as reaching overhead, getting dressed or reaching behind your back difficult.
Cortisone is a corticosteroid medicine that reduces inflammation. A healthcare professional injects it into the shoulder joint to help relieve pain and improve movement. By reducing pain, the injection may make it easier to perform everyday activities and take part in a rehabilitation programme.
According to Mayo Clinic, corticosteroid injections may help reduce frozen shoulder pain and improve shoulder movement, particularly when treatment begins relatively early. The injection does not directly remove all the tightened tissue, however, so improvement in pain does not necessarily mean that normal movement will return immediately.
When is a cortisone injection most likely to work?
The timing of the injection can influence how useful it is. Frozen shoulder often progresses through periods in which pain and stiffness change. During the earlier, more painful period, discomfort may occur even when the arm is resting, and pain at night can interrupt sleep.
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine explains that cortisone injections may reduce pain or shorten the painful stage of frozen shoulder. They are generally more useful when pain is a major problem than when the main remaining difficulty is stiffness.
As the condition progresses, resting pain may decrease while restricted movement remains. At this point, an injection may offer less benefit for stiffness itself. A clinician will consider the pattern and duration of symptoms, shoulder movement and examination findings before deciding whether an injection is appropriate.
How long does it take for a cortisone injection to work?
Relief is not always immediate. The anaesthetic sometimes given with the injection may provide short-term relief, while the corticosteroid generally takes a few days to begin working. Some people notice improvement within days, while others experience little benefit.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) notes that cortisone injections may provide relief for several weeks, although the response varies with the condition being treated and the source of the pain. In frozen shoulder, the duration and degree of improvement cannot be predicted precisely for an individual.
Even when the injection works well, shoulder stiffness may persist and recovery may take much longer than the period of pain relief. An injection is therefore best viewed as a way to help manage symptoms during recovery, rather than a permanent solution on its own.
What happens during a cortisone injection?
A shoulder injection is usually performed in an outpatient clinic. The healthcare professional reviews your symptoms, medical history and medicines, then cleans the skin over the injection site. The corticosteroid is injected into the shoulder joint, sometimes alongside a local anaesthetic to help relieve pain.
In some cases, ultrasound guidance is used to help position the needle accurately. The procedure is usually brief, and you can generally return home afterwards. Your clinician will explain what to expect and whether any temporary activity restrictions are needed.
Do you still need physiotherapy after the injection?
Yes, physiotherapy or a clinician-recommended home exercise programme often remains an important part of treatment. The injection may reduce pain enough to make gentle shoulder movements more manageable, while exercises help maintain and gradually improve the range of movement.
The NHS guidance on frozen shoulder includes gentle exercises and physiotherapy among the treatment options. The exercises should be appropriate for your symptoms and current shoulder movement. Forceful stretching or repeatedly pushing through significant pain can make symptoms worse, so a physiotherapist can help you find a suitable approach.
Continue moving the shoulder gently within comfortable limits, following the instructions provided by your healthcare professional. If pain prevents you from participating in rehabilitation, discuss this with your clinician rather than increasing the intensity of your exercises on your own.
What are the risks and side effects of a cortisone injection?
Most people tolerate a cortisone injection, but side effects are possible. The amount of medicine that enters the rest of the body is usually small, although the injection is not completely risk-free.
Possible effects include:
- Temporary soreness or increased pain at the injection site, sometimes lasting a day or two before the steroid takes effect.
- A temporary rise in blood glucose levels, which is particularly relevant for people with diabetes.
- A small risk of infection where the needle enters the skin.
- Limited relief or no meaningful improvement in pain or movement.
The AAOS information on cortisone shots describes temporary increases in blood glucose and the small risk of infection among the possible complications. If you have diabetes, tell the treating professional before the injection and ask whether you need to monitor your blood glucose more closely afterwards.
Repeated injections should not be assumed to provide better or lasting results. The decision to have another injection depends on the response to previous treatment, the likely benefit and the potential risks. Your healthcare professional can help determine whether another injection or a different approach is more appropriate.
What if the injection does not relieve the pain?
An injection may provide only partial relief, or it may not help at all. This does not automatically mean that the shoulder cannot improve. Frozen shoulder can be slow to recover, and the effectiveness of treatment depends partly on whether the symptoms are coming from the shoulder joint and whether the condition is at a stage when an injection is likely to help.
If symptoms persist, worsen or continue to interfere with sleep, work or everyday tasks, arrange a review with a healthcare professional. They can reassess shoulder movement, consider other possible causes of the symptoms and review the treatment plan. Depending on the findings, options may include continued physiotherapy, other pain-relief measures or further specialist assessment.
According to AAOS guidance on frozen shoulder, the condition often improves without surgery, but recovery may take up to three years. Persistent stiffness does not necessarily mean that an injection has failed in every respect; pain relief and recovery of movement are related but distinct outcomes.
Is a cortisone injection the right choice for you?
A cortisone injection may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional when shoulder pain is limiting sleep, everyday activities or participation in physiotherapy. It is particularly worth considering when symptoms are relatively recent and pain is a prominent feature.
The decision should be based on your medical history, the duration and pattern of symptoms, examination findings, other health conditions and the benefits and risks of the procedure. The most useful treatment plan is one that aims to ease pain while helping you maintain and gradually regain shoulder movement.