Steroid Injection: How Reliable and Effective is It?
Corticosteroid is an injection therapy that has relieved many people of pain from a range of conditions However, this treatment is often suspected for its efficacy and success Hence, we have taken up this topic to check its potency in curing inflammation.
Healthcare practitioners often prescribe corticosteroids to treat bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, and tendinopathy Commonly referred to as steroid injections, these address inflammation and relieve pain and stiffness However, many question its reliability, stating it’s hardly right for everyone. Today, as the write-up prepares to answer it, you will learn more about corticosteroids and whether you should proceed with it
Injection Therapy: A Brief Introduction
Unlike anabolic steroids that athletes inject into their bodies to gain an unfair advantage, corticosteroids or cortisone shots are manufactured and prescribed to treat joint pain, including knees, spine, hips, feet, shoulders and hands
Only clinical specialist physiotherapists administer its dosage to relieve stiffness and agonising pain. Patients taking them have often appreciated their short and long-term gains. While it has relieved one of the pain in the first few months, it has also allowed them to rehabilitate and strengthen the areas around the pain points.
Conditions to Consider During an Assessment
As stated earlier, a clinical specialist physiotherapist will run a complete assessment to check if you should go for steroid injections in Orpington. The following things will be taken into account:
èThe joint troubling you
èThe source of your pain
èThe coexisting medical conditions you may have
èThe type of relief that will address your pain – short-term or longer-term
èThe treatments you have encountered so far and currently undergoing
èThe risks of undergoing injection therapy
Once the concerned physiotherapist examines everything, it will be easy for the specialist to individualise the rehabilitation programme for an effective recovery. Also, it’s safe to conduct the process only after assessing the patient's circumstances
For How Long Does the Effect of Steroid Injections Last?
The benefits of cortisone shots are noticeable within a few days People feel no pain at all The effect may wear off in 3-4 months unless rehabilitated to address the symptoms Many people have appreciated the pain-free life post-treatment while waiting for further orthopaedic appointments or joint surgery Others have complimented its promptness in providing pain relief Therefore, it’s hard to predict the outcomes as they vary from one person to another.
Possible Side Effects of Steroid Injections
The side effects are few and minor, lasting for as long as 7 days. Enlisted are the ones to expect:
ü Little bleeding around the injection point
ü Flushed face for the first few hours
ü Spike in blood pressure levels for a few days
ü Slight discomfort when the shot is pushed
ü Feeling dizzy, having headaches and getting drowsy
ü Increase in blood sugar levels during the initial days
ü Bruises
ü Skin irritation or itching around the injection point
ü Dermal atrophy, or reduced thickness of skin
ü Persistent discomfort for the first few days
As you can check from the list, the side effects are pretty common and temporary
Conditions When It’s Best to Avoid a Cortisone Shot
The reliability and effectiveness of an injection therapy depend on one’s ongoing conditions since they increase the risks associated with injecting steroids. Therefore, a therapist almost always checks for the following:
Ø Whether the patient has been injected steroids in the last 6 months
Ø If the individual has any underlying allergy
Ø Whether the person concerned has undergone any laser treatment
Ø Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Ø Excessive scarring
Ø Ongoing infection
Ø existing conditions like diabetes, liver problems, high blood pressure, heart issues or epilepsy
Ø Chemical peeling undergone recently
Final Thoughts:
In the end, it’s clear from the discussion that cortisone shots in bursae, joints and tendons are beneficial only when the therapist has considered everything, including ongoing conditions As long as you endure the possible and minor side effects and are correctly assessed by the specialist, worries arising from cortisone shots should never trouble you. They are a safe and effective procedure relied on by thousands to relieve inflammation and manage symptoms
Touchline Physio is where patients often visit to seek treatments, including steroid injections to get significant relief from stiffness in joints You may consider them the next time you suffer from a frozen shoulder, arthritis, tendinopathy or bursitis