Steroid injections to hands

I have had several steroid injections in my finger and they are painful at the time. and that is with a local anesthetic. My surgeon was great and stopped for a while. The real pain is afterwards though. I doubt they would give a general because it would be very expensive.  Its not that bad. I laid down when I had mine done. 

General anaesthetic is not without its own possible complications.  Ask if you can be given something to relax you so that the procedure won't seem as terrifying.  I had a biopsy under local anaesthetic (at my request) and it was uncomfortable, but once it was over it was over.  No waking up feeling groggy and sick an hour or so later.  Just needed to sit and rest for a few minutes.  

In Canada we are permitted to have a cortisone injection once every 90 days. I have them on a regular basis in the knuckles of both hands. 

However each person's pain threshold is different. 

I place ice on the injection site an hour or two later. Advised not to do it. Immediately after.

in my opinion a general anaesthetic is over kill

I have had cortisone injections thou not in my fingers. It hurts even with local anesthetic. It only lasts whilst being injected, a few seconds at most. You will be able to sit down after and i was given a hot drink. This treatment is not available with a general anaesthetic, as it would require a bed in a general ward and more staff etc. There are more risks involved with a general anaesthetic and it is not cost effective. I have had an operation with local anaesthetic and beleive me the injections are more painful but as i said its short lived pain. Distraction is the best way to deal with this and a few deep breaths. Good luck.