What Are Corticosteroid Injections?

Cortisone Injections

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications. Cortisone injections (injecting corticosteroids) are typically utilized in an attempt to offer fast acting relief to inflamed muscles, tendons, tendon-sheaths, joints, and bursae. In terms of the risk to benefit ratio, historically corticosteroid injections are thought of being worth consideration. Particularity in the management of joint and soft-tissue conditions. Ideally not as a first approach but where prior treatment has failed to yield satisfactory results. And when coupled with an appropriate rehabilitation program. Used this way cortisone injections can lead to significant improvement in pain levels where inflamation is a contributing factor. And by doing so, can often lead to substantial function gains.

What Are Corticosteroids?

Cortisone is a steroid medication, that is very effective in reducing inflammation. Cortisone is one type of corticosteroid. Corticosteroids can be taken in many ways. By mouth, inhaled, applied to the skin, given intravenously (into a vein), or injected into the tissues of the body… Cortisone injections refers to the injection of a corticosteroid into the body. Often the soft tissues and joints.

Physiotherapists Do Not Administer Corticosteroid Injections

Many healthcare professionals are licensed to administer cortisone injections, physiotherapists are not one them. As a physiotherapist myself, who can’t not administer cortisone injections. Typically if I feel a cortisone injection is a course of action worth exploring, I will generally refer the patient on a sports medicine specialist, or orthopedic surgeon as seems most appropriate at the time. A GP however will often refer patients for cortisone injections. When this is the case they will frequently refer to a radiology department where they will be guided under ultrasound or CT imaging.

Is A Cortisone Injection Just A Pain Reliever?

Corticosteroids are not strictly pain relievers. Corticosteroid injections reduce inflammation. So when these injections relieve an individuals pain, it is because they have reduced inflammation that was likely causing pain. Inflammation for which cortisone injections are prescribed can obviously recur. Ideally the outcome of an injection is lasting, yet in some situations the relief is only anticipated to be short term. Cortisone injections are frequently administered with the intention of providing long or short term relief to the patient and therefore enabling them to more comfortably carry out any necessary rehabilitation. Through these reduced pain levels, it can enable any rehabilitation to be progressed, or performed more consistently. In such a situation the benefits are either enhanced or longer lasting, but ideally both.

How Long Does It Take For Corticosteriods To Have An Impact?

Relief from a cortisone injection can in some circumstances begin almost immediately after the procedure. Yet in some patients it can take a week, or more… A cortisone injection administered for certain conditions may be curative and “fix” the issue. As mentioned with some conditions, the symptoms can recur after only weeks or months. In this situation, under counsel with a specialist, another cortisone injection can be given if deemed appropriate. Like most outcomes, responses to cortisone injections are individual. Varying from one person to the next. As well as even being varied within individuals, where some people who responded well to an injection in their shoulder, receiving an injection in the other shoulder for a “similar” complaint experience a less favorable outcome. Disclaimer: Sydney Physio Clinic provides this information as an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Anyone seeking specific advice or assistance on What Are Cortisone Injections? should consult his or her physiotherapist, sports medicine specialist, orthopedic surgeon or otherwise appropriately skilled practitioner.