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Image-guided hip injection treatment, by a consultant MSK specialist.

A properly placed hip injection under ultrasound or fluoroscopy - into the joint, the bursa or the tendon that is actually hurting. Steroid, hyaluronic acid or PRP, chosen for your problem.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private hip injection costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£600–£1,500, home the same day.

Injection Indicative range
Intra-articular hip (US or fluoroscopy) £600–£1,500
Trochanteric bursa / GTPS (US-guided) £350–£700
Iliopsoas bursa (US-guided) £500–£900
Piriformis or peri-sciatic (US or MR-guided) £600–£1,200
Hyaluronic acid course (Ostenil / Durolane) £800–£2,000
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection £350–£800
Consultation only £200–£400

Prices vary by clinic, by which consultant does the case, by the guidance modality used, and by whether the visit includes a consultation as well as the injection. NHS access via GP referral is free but usually slower.

The problem

The right target, the right agent, the right guidance.

Hip pain is not one thing. It can come from the joint, the trochanteric bursa, the iliopsoas, the piriformis, the adductors or the pubic symphysis. Inject the wrong one and nothing helps.

  • Not sure it is the joint?

    A diagnostic LA-only injection under image guidance tells you - before you commit to arthroscopy or a replacement.

  • Been told to just wait?

    A well-placed steroid or hyaluronic acid buys time for physio and delays surgery in the right patient. Waiting is not the only plan.

  • Want it done properly?

    A named consultant MSK specialist, ultrasound or fluoroscopy every time, and honest advice about PRP or steroid.

When it helps

When a hip injection is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.

  • Hip osteoarthritis

    Groin, buttock or thigh pain from a wearing joint - an image-guided steroid or hyaluronic acid can buy time before surgery.

  • FAI and labral tears

    A diagnostic intra-articular injection helps confirm the hip joint is the pain source before considering arthroscopy.

  • Greater trochanteric pain syndrome

    Pain on the outside of the hip, worse lying on that side - US-guided steroid plus physio is the standard first line.

  • Iliopsoas bursitis or snapping hip

    Groin pain with a snap on movement - a targeted US-guided injection at the psoas notch settles most cases.

  • Piriformis or deep gluteal syndrome

    Deep buttock pain with sciatic-type radiation - piriformis or peri-sciatic injection under US or MR guidance.

  • Adhesive capsulitis of the hip

    A stiff, painful hip capsule - intra-articular steroid combined with a structured physio programme.

  • Adductor or pubic symphysis pain

    Athletes with groin pain - targeted adductor tendon or pubic symphysis injection alongside a rehab plan.

  • Red flag: fever with hip pain

    A hot, swollen, exquisitely painful hip with fever is possible septic arthritis - same-day A&E, not a clinic booking.

Injection options

Not every hip injection is the same.

Each target and each agent does a different job. Here is what we actually offer, and why each has a place.

  • Intra-articular hip (steroid)

    Ultrasound or fluoroscopy-guided steroid and local anaesthetic into the joint - for OA, FAI, labral tears and adhesive capsulitis.

  • Diagnostic LA-only injection

    Local anaesthetic into the joint alone - a >50% pain reduction confirms the hip joint is the pain source before arthroscopy.

  • Hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation)

    Ostenil, Synvisc or Durolane into the hip for OA. Evidence weaker than at the knee - used selectively in private practice.

  • Trochanteric bursa / GTPS

    US-guided steroid and local anaesthetic at the greater trochanter - up to three trial injections before considering surgery or PRP.

  • Iliopsoas bursa

    US-guided injection at the psoas notch for iliopsoas bursitis, snapping hip and post-hip-replacement impingement.

  • Piriformis or peri-sciatic

    Deep gluteal injections placed under US or MR guidance to release piriformis irritation and calm the sciatic nerve.

  • Adductor or pubic symphysis

    Targeted injection for adductor tendinopathy or osteitis pubis in athletes, combined with a graded loading rehab plan.

  • PRP (platelet-rich plasma)

    Autologous PRP for gluteal tendinopathy and early hip OA. NICE-not-endorsed but evidence emerging - no NSAIDs before or after.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

An image-guided hip injection is a safe outpatient procedure. The things worth planning are the flare window, when benefit shows up, and knowing when to worry.

  • Injection-site pain is universal

    A transient ache or throb at the needle site is expected. Paracetamol and ice for the first evening handle it in most cases.

  • Post-injection flare in 10–15%

    The joint or bursa can flare for 24 to 48 hours before settling. Rest, ice and simple painkillers. Ring us if it is not easing after two days.

  • Septic arthritis is rare

    Less than one in ten thousand with proper aseptic technique. A hot, swollen, painful joint with fever is a same-day A&E problem.

  • Skin depigmentation from steroid

    A pale or thinned patch of skin can appear at superficial steroid injection sites - commoner at the trochanter. Usually settles over months.

  • Systemic steroid effects

    Transient hyperglycaemia, facial flushing and menstrual disturbance can occur for a few days. Diabetics are warned to check sugars.

  • Tendon rupture is a real risk

    High-dose steroid at a tendon insertion can weaken it - we avoid steroid inside the gluteal tendons and use PRP instead where possible.

  • Nerve effects are usually transient

    A short-lived femoral nerve block from intra-articular volume, or transient sciatic irritation, can occur. Permanent nerve injury with US guidance is very rare.

  • Peak effect at two to four weeks

    Do not judge the injection on day three. Steroid works for weeks to months, hyaluronic acid for months if it works, PRP over three to six months.

  • Injections are not a career plan

    If you are needing repeat injections to function, that is a sign to plan the definitive step - surgery, or a proper loading programme - not to keep injecting.

Reading your procedure note

Your procedure note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever target was chosen, the note the consultant sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant MSK radiologist reviewing a patient’s hip injection procedure notes

A quiet reminder

Radiology language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and target chosen

    Why the injection was done - OA, GTPS, iliopsoas, piriformis - and which target and guidance modality were agreed with you.

  2. 02 Technique

    Guidance, agent and dose

    Ultrasound or fluoroscopy, the exact agent (for example triamcinolone 40 mg plus bupivacaine 0.25% with saline), and how it was delivered.

  3. 03 Findings

    Real-time imaging and diagnostic response

    What the scan showed on the day - effusion, tendon changes, labral appearance - and, for diagnostic injections, the immediate pain response.

  4. 04 Impression

    Aftercare, physio and review timing

    Read this first: expected flare window, when to expect benefit, whether physio continues, and when a review or repeat is planned.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for image-guided hip injections varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated, self-pay for PRP and viscosupplementation.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about hip injections.

Quick answers on pain, cost, guidance, agents and how long the effect lasts.

  • Why should a hip injection be image-guided?

    The hip joint sits deep under muscle and the bursae and tendons around it are millimetres apart. Ultrasound or fluoroscopy places the needle in the exact target. Blind hip injections miss often enough that we do not offer them.

  • Does a hip injection hurt?

    A small sting from the local anaesthetic at the skin, then pressure rather than pain as the injection goes in. The whole procedure is over in five to fifteen minutes. A dull ache for 24 to 48 hours afterwards is normal.

  • Steroid, hyaluronic acid or PRP - which one?

    Steroid works fastest and is the standard for most bursitis and joint pain. Hyaluronic acid is used selectively for hip OA - evidence is weaker than at the knee. PRP is used for gluteal tendinopathy and early OA where steroid would risk the tendon.

  • How much does a private hip injection cost in the UK?

    Roughly £600–£1,500 for an image-guided intra-articular injection, £350–£700 for a trochanteric bursa injection, £800–£2,000 for a hyaluronic acid course and £350–£800 per PRP injection.

  • How long does a hip injection last?

    Steroid injections give benefit over weeks to months - often three to six. Hyaluronic acid, when it works, can last several months. PRP effects build over three to six months. None of them cure the underlying problem; they buy a window for rehab or surgical planning.

  • Can I drive home and go back to work?

    Yes to both, provided you are comfortable. Most patients walk in and out and return to a desk job the same or next day. Heavy lifting, running and long standing wait 48 hours or until the flare has settled.

  • How is a diagnostic hip injection different?

    A diagnostic injection uses local anaesthetic only, placed inside the joint under image guidance. If your pain drops by more than half in the next few hours, that confirms the hip joint itself is the pain source - useful before deciding on arthroscopy.

  • When should I see a GP or A&E urgently?

    A hot, swollen hip with fever after an injection, spreading redness, or severe pain that will not settle after 48 hours are all reasons to seek same-day medical help. So is loss of sensation or power in the leg.

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