- Types of Arthritis
- Tips for Living Well
- Programs and Services
- Publications and Resources
- Research in Action
- Open Forum Community
- Donate
Cortisone Injections
Cortisone Injections (Depo-Medrol, etc.)In the body, cortisone has various 'housekeeping tasks' - among them, regulating routine inflammation from cuts, bruises and other minor injuries. Major traumas, such as broken bones or surgery, spur the adrenal glands to produce even more cortisone as part of the body's own emergency healing, but, when it comes to inflammatory arthritis, the adrenals aren't able to meet the demand.
Doctors occasionally inject cortisone directly into an affected joint to reduce severe, persistent inflammation, usually because other treatment methods haven't worked quickly or well enough.
What are the side effects of steroid injections?
| Symptom | Frequency | Call Doctor |
| Infection | rare | If the infected joint becomes very painful, red or swollen after an injection seek medical attention immediately as the joint may be infected. The risks are very low (1 in 15,000) |
| Injury to the joint or tendon | rare | Yes |
| Loss of fat layer below the skin | rare | No |
| Loss of pigment in the skin | rare | No |
| Calcium buildup around the joint | rare | No |
Side Effects and Special
Considerations
To gain the most benefit from a cortisone injection,
rest the affected joint: three complete days for knees, ankles and hips; two
days for wrists, elbows and shoulders. Complete rest helps keep cortisone in the
joint, allowing the medication to work most effectively.
Your injected joint usually recovers within one to four days, while the cortisone takes two to three weeks to be eliminated from your body. The anti-inflammatory effect may be long-lasting, but the injection can be repeated to capitalize on the lowered level of inflammation.
As with any invasive medical procedure, there's always a slight risk of infection from a cortisone injection. It's also possible that you may be sensitive to one of the ingredients in a particular cortisone product, which will cause increased pain and discomfort within the first 24 to 48 hours. If you have a negative reaction to a cortisone injection, all is not lost: There are many other cortisone formulations, and repeat reactions are rare.
Many doctors limit the number of cortisone injections you can have in a specific joint over the course of a year because of possible side effects, but that doesn't mean you can't have other joints injected. Used sparingly, cortisone injections are safe and effective, and side effects are rare.
If you haven't already, make sure you visit
Cortisone: General Indications.
    |
This page was last reviewed/updated on : 02/23/2008