Although intralesional corticosteroid injection of subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules was mentioned in 1968, this simple procedure is not commonly practised. A placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of intralesional corticosteroid injection using 24 rheumatoid nodules from 11 patients was carried out to determine the efficacy and safety of the procedure. Nodules injected with methylprednisolone and lignocaine regressed significantly more than nodules injected with placebo (lignocaine alone). This was consistently shown in all modalities of assessments which included patients' assessments (P < 0.001) and investigator's assessments (P < 0.001) of the percentage change in nodule size, and gross measurements of nodule volumes using a pincer (P < 0.001). Nine of 12 active injections produced > or = 50% loss in nodular volume with complete disappearance of two nodules. This compares with only one out of 12 placebo injections which resulted in > or = 50% loss in nodular volume. The patients found all 12 active injections to be worthwhile compared to only two of 12 placebo injections being worthwhile. The only complication of injection therapy observed was that of pain during the procedure.