What To Know About Steroid Injections

[Julieanne]

Lowri Daniels
November 12 2020

Steroid injections, or corticosteroids, are synthetic versions of hormones that the adrenal glands produce. They treat a wide range of conditions. Although they can be effective and fast-acting, they may have side effects.

Steroid injections reduce inflammation, lower immune responses, and help control other functions of the body.


Read more: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...&apid=28940830

[Islander]

I have had two attempts to treat the bursitis in my hips with corticosteroid injections. I went into this optimistic because everyone I questioned who had experienced this treatment claimed that it was permanent, that one shot relieve the pain forever. Sadly, this is not true for everyone and it was not true for me. The pain in my hips from bursitis has changed my life and prevented me from doing many of the things that were formerly habits, like taking my cats on long walks in the evening from spring through fall. These days, I can't walk further than a city block.

[Julieanne]

One injection into a 'frozen shoulder' some years ago fixed it for good. But it didn't help severe pain in a thumb joint at all.

[Maurya]

The article left out some critical "side effects", such as cartilage damage, death of nearby bone, and tendon weakening or rupture. These are not trivial, and have ruined the careers of many athletes who have had steroid injections for various injuries.

[Islander]

Maurya, thank you for confirming that I made the right decision in not having a third course of injections. Two failures in a row is not exactly an encouragement for trying yet again. And you are right, those are hardly trivial side effects!