Cortisone injections are a common, nonsurgical joint pain treatment for people who have chronic joint pain because the relief they provide can last much longer than other types of pain medication.
These injections can help people with arthritis, in particular.
“The most common symptoms of an arthritic joint are the pain and stiffness you feel when you take the first few steps after sitting or riding in a car,” says Dr. Edward Blocker, orthopedic surgeon at Beaufort Memorial Orthopaedic Specialists. “In addition to low-impact exercises, a cortisone injection has the potential to alleviate these symptoms for several months.”
How Cortisone Injections Work
Cortisone is a steroid that reduces inflammation, leading to pain relief. Unlike other types of shots, cortisone injections are given right in the area that is causing pain, whether that be a wrist, shoulder, elbow, knee or ankle. For areas such as the back and hips, doctors often use X-rays or ultrasounds for guidance on where the injection will provide the most relief. For most people, pain resolves in three to four days.
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Common Cortisone Injection Side Effects
Most doctors recommend no more than three or four cortisone injections per joint per year to reduce the chances of adverse side effects. In general, most people tolerate the shots well. However, your doctor will take your overall health history into consideration. Because cortisone can raise blood sugar and impair the body’s ability to fight infection, people with poorly controlled diabetes or active infections may not be good candidates for cortisone injections.
The shot can sometimes cause pain to flare up right after getting the injection. But this is temporary and usually lasts just a few days. For this reason, cortisone is often given along with lidocaine to lessen the risk of “cortisone flare.” While not common, other side effects might include:
- Dizziness
- Facial flushing
- Infection in the joint
- Ruptures in tendons
- Trouble sleeping
While long-term use of cortisone may have some side effects, such as thinning of cartilage, it is thought that spacing out the injections to at least three to four months minimizes this risk.
Other Nonsurgical Options for Joint Pain
“For many people, especially those with chronic joint pain from inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis, cortisone injections provide substantial relief with few adverse side effects,” Dr. Blocker says. “If it reaches a point that the injections no longer provide long-term relief, more permanent options, such as hip or knee replacement, may be a consideration if symptoms warrant.”
Read More: Joint Pain Q&A With Dr. Edward Blocker
Other nonsurgical options for joint pain can also be explored. These might include:
- Braces or splints
- Glucosamine supplements
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen
- Physical therapy
- Viscosupplementation (injections of hyaluronic acid)
Request an appointment with a Beaufort Memorial orthopedic surgeon to learn more about nonsurgical joint pain options.
