Some of the issues that cortisone shots help with are: Arthritis many kinds that inflame every area of the body Gout usually in the feet with acute pain Joint pain in the knee, elbow, feet are some examples Back Pain any kind in any area Tendinitis irritation of a tendon that connects muscle to bone What are the long-term effects of using cortisone shots? Some examples include: Cartilage damage: Because there are repetitive injections into one area, the cartilage of the bone can become weak, causing it to break easier or become more inflamed than before.
Joint infection: Similar to cartilage damage, the more injections into one area, the weaker the area can get. In severe cases, the blood supply is cut off, causing severe pain.
Nerve damage: Continuous blocking of nerve receptors can cause issues when it comes to your nerves receiving pain. There are also other side effects such as skin thinning, insomnia, and weight gain or loss. Schedule an Appointment Today The best way to avoid these side effects? Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Cortisone shots are injections that can help relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic.
Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Roberts WN. Intraarticular and soft tissue injections: What agent s to inject and how frequently? Accessed July 20, Roberts WN, et al. Joint aspiration or injection in adults: Complications. Corticosteroid injections adult. Rochester, Minn. Repeated cortisone injections are not healthy for tissues. Small amounts of cortisone in the body are probably reasonable, but repeated injections can cause damage to tissues over time.
Sometimes this is of little concern. For example, if a person has severe knee arthritis and a cortisone injection every six months helps significantly, then the number of injections probably does not matter too much.
On the other hand, if a person has shoulder tendonitis, but an otherwise healthy shoulder, the number of injections should probably be limited to prevent further damage to these tendons.
It is not accurate to think of cortisone shots as perfectly safe, and there are numerous studies that show that over time people who receive regular injections may sustain more accelerated long-term damage to their joints. There are some specific situations where cortisone has been shown to cause serious problems.
For example, injections around the Achilles tendon are known to increase the possibility of Achilles tendon rupture. For that reason, most orthopedic surgeons will not offer a cortisone injection for the treatment of Achilles tendinitis. The study involved people in Australia.
Half of the people in that study who got cortisone shots had their symptoms return within a year, so the jury is still out on how effective cortisone shots can be over time. Cortisone shots do not cure every type of orthopedic problem, and despite their broad use in orthopedics, they are probably a much more effective treatment for some conditions over others.
For example, problems that cause acute inflammation and swelling are more likely to respond effectively to the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of cortisone than a condition that causes more chronic discomfort. There is no hard and fast rule that says how many cortisone injections can be given over time. However, cortisone injections can have side effects and repeated use of cortisone injections should be done with caution.
Most orthopedic surgeons will choose a number, and advise her patients not to exceed that amount of cortisone. By injecting a corticosteroid into arthritic knee joints, doctors can lower knee pain and increase mobility in patients for weeks, sometimes months. In general, because of the risks associated with cortisone injections, doctors recommend patients should not receive injections more often than every twelve weeks, no more than three or four times annually in any single joint, and no more than six a year for your entire body.
That said, every person is different, and the number of cortisone injections your doctor recommend will vary, depending on such factors like your overall health and pain tolerance. Taking corticosteroid tablets on top of injections greatly increases your risk for adverse side effects.
Additionally, taking a corticosteroid orally instead of injecting cortisone at the site of the ailing joint reduces the pain relief you might experience. The pill is a broadband treatment for the entire body, one that does not address the specific area in pain. There are also more potential side effects and risks to oral steroid use.
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