What conditions could benefit from corticosteroid injections?
- Posted on: Nov 15 2020
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Sometimes performing simple tasks such as lifting a cup of coffee or opening a doorknob can cause a lot of pain. For patients dealing with chronic inflammatory diseases, often the best treatment for immediate relief is a corticosteroid injection. So what kind of relief can these injections provide? And who benefits the most?
What are corticosteroid injections?
Corticosteroids are naturally occurring steroids found in nature. They offer an anti-inflammatory effect when injected into an area that is inflamed and painful.
What do they help?
Corticosteroid injections are commonly used to treat chronic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other inflammatory diseases. These injections also help address pain from joint degeneration near the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, hand or wrist caused by osteoarthritis.
Patients who have back pain, bursitis, gout, tendinitis, psoriatic arthritis and other forms of arthritis also can benefit from corticosteroid injections.
How long do these injections provide relief?
The results vary by patient and condition, but some patients will have relief for up to six months, while others may only have relief for a few weeks. Sometimes, only one injection is needed to calm the inflamed tendon and help clear the condition. Patients may need up to four injections over the span of a year.
Are corticosteroids available in anything other than injections?
In addition to injections, corticosteroids can be delivered topically, orally and nasally. Injection is the best delivery method, however, as it ensures the maximum amount of treatment is placed in the area of inflammation for relief. Patients who are wary of injections will be happy to hear that local anesthetic is used to help make sure the injections aren’t overly painful.
Patients who get corticosteroid injections may continue to experience pain for up to 48 hours after treatment. After that, the inflammation and pain in the joint should subside.
If you are living with chronic pain that you think would benefit from corticosteroid injections, don’t wait. Give us a call today at 707.544.3400 to make an appointment for a consultation and get on the road to relief.
Posted in: Corticosteroid Injections
