Diagnostic Injections

If your pain improves immediately after the injection, it confirms that the injected area is the true cause of your symptoms.

These injections are used when the diagnosis is unclear or when several structures could be contributing to the pain.

Why Diagnostic Injections Work

Local anaesthetic temporarily numbs the targeted area. This allows us to:

• Confirm which structure is generating the pain

• Distinguish between multiple possible causes

• Guide the most appropriate treatment

• Avoid unnecessary procedures or imaging

• Plan rehabilitation more effectively

Because the anaesthetic acts quickly, we can assess your movement or symptoms immediately after the injection to see how much the pain changes.

Who Are Diagnostic Injections Suitable For?

These injections are helpful when:

• Pain could be coming from more than one structure
  (e.g., shoulder pain from bursa or rotator cuff; hip pain from GTPS or the joint)

• MRI or ultrasound findings don’t perfectly match your symptoms

• Pain has not responded to previous treatment

• A clear diagnosis is needed before deciding on:

  • steroid injections

  • surgery

  • hyaluronan

  • targeted physiotherapy

• You need clarity about whether a problem is coming from a joint, tendon, or nerve

• You want to understand which movements or activities are safe

Diagnostic injections provide clarity when the source of pain is uncertain.

Why Ultrasound Guidance Is Important

Diagnostic injections must be performed with absolute accuracy to ensure the correct structure is numbed.
Ultrasound guidance provides:

• Real-time visualisation of the needle

• Precise placement into the exact structure being tested

• Increased diagnostic accuracy

• Avoidance of nearby nerves, vessels, or tendons

• Immediate confirmation that the medication has reached the right area

Accurate placement is essential — otherwise the test is unreliable.
Ultrasound ensures the results are meaningful and trustworthy.