Intratympanic Steroid Injection

Intratympanic steroid injections are carried out during an outpatient appointment, and no sedation or general anaesthetic is needed.

You’ll lie face up while your consultant applies a local anaesthetic to the eardrum. This usually takes a few minutes to work. Once the eardrum is numb, your consultant will use a very fine needle to inject the steroid through the eardrum into the middle ear. Most people feel only mild pressure during the injection. 

After the injection, you’ll be asked to lie still with the treated ear facing upward for around 20 to 30 minutes. This helps the medication stay in the middle ear long enough to diffuse into the inner ear.

The entire appointment usually takes under an hour, and you’ll be able to go home straight away afterwards and carry on with your usual activities. 

Often, a course of 3 or 4 injections is needed. Your consultant will let you know how many injections you need and a suitable schedule for these.

Intratympanic steroid injections are widely used and generally very safe. Complications are uncommon, but possible risks include:

• temporary dizziness

• discomfort at the injection site

• a feeling of fullness in the ear

• perforation of the eardrum (very rare)

• mild bleeding

• infection

• tinnitus or temporary worsening of existing tinnitus

• scarring of the eardrum (usually doesn’t affect hearing)

• hearing loss (rare)

Your specialist will discuss these risks with you before the procedure. For most people, the benefits of targeted middle-ear treatment outweigh the small risk of complications.

Before the procedure, you’ll have a consultation with your ENT specialist who’ll take a detailed history of your symptoms, examine the inside of your ear and arrange a same-visit hearing test. This helps them confirm whether an intratympanic steroid injection is suitable, and which ear needs treatment.

On the day of the injection, you can eat, drink, and take your usual medications unless advised otherwise.

Most people feel well after the procedure and can resume their usual activities straight away. Some patients experience short-lived dizziness or a sense of disorientation, which usually settles within minutes. You don’t need to be collected by anyone following the procedure, but you should avoid driving. 

A feeling of fullness or popping in the ear is common after treatment. This is normal and should settle as the medicine is absorbed. Certain steroid preparations can cause more discomfort, but this usually improves by the next morning. Your consultant will discuss the steroid type being used and what to expect.

It’s best to keep water out of the ear for 24 to 48 hours to allow the injection site on the eardrum to heal. Avoid swimming and take care when showering during this time.

Your consultant will advise you when to return for further injections or follow-up appointments.

Please contact our Ear, Nose & Throat centre for pricing information.

At Welbeck, our ENT specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

To book an intratympanic steroid injection, you must be referred by either your GP or an ENT specialist following a consultation with them. Self-referrals are not accepted for this treatment.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with an Welbeck ENT specialist, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.