Injection with corticosteroid and local anesthetic

The intra-articular injection of a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic plays a dual role. It acts as a relief for symptoms in case of aseptic inflammation, such as moderate flare up of hip arthritis, and also serves as a diagnostic tool in cases where there is difficulty in differentiating the origin of pain. If there is no immediate pain relief during the first hours after injection, then it is most likely the cause of the pain not to originate from the hip.