Some of you may have been offered a cortisone injection by your GP or radiologist for pain through your shoulders, elbows, hips, backs and feet. So what are they and are they actually worth getting? The truthful answer is….. it depends.
So what is cortisone?
A corticosteroid hormone produced naturally in the body in response to stress.
Its aim when injected is to suppress the immune system in that body part, thus reducing inflammation and it’s associated pain at the site of injury.
Pros
Easy to administer
Affordable treatment option
Systemic side effects post injection are extremely rare
It is a naturally produced hormone
Does not require much recovery time, generally you can get back to doing your usual activities within the next two days
Can suppress inflammation anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months in the administered body part
Cons
Multiple injections within a short time frame can lead to tendon weakness and cartilage softening. To prevent this, cortisone injections should be at least 6 weeks apart and a maximum of 3 in total in a calendar year
No guarantee of 100% reduction in symptoms
Can take up to 2 weeks for cortisone to be in full effect after injection
Not a quick fix. Should be used as part of a larger treatment. Lifestyle changes and a tailored exercise program are often needed as well to ensure the cortisone works correctly. For example, with plantar fasciitis injections, making sure the footwear is appropriate post injection.
Recent studies have found that cortisone injections are effective for reducing pain and inflammation in the first 6 weeks post injection. Long term studies of over 6 months are quite variable with the effectiveness of cortisone as a long term treatment.
Before saying yes, it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of getting a cortisone. Unless symptoms are severe, as physiotherapists, we always advise to trial a 4-6 week period of conservative management involving a targeted exercise program, postural awareness and manual therapy to reduce the symptoms naturally before the consideration of a cortisone injection.