Cortisone Injections
Cortisone Injections to Treat Shoulder Pain
What is Cortisone?
Cortisone is the name used to describe a group of drugs correctly known as corticosteroids.
Cortisone is used to treat pain in various parts of the body where inflammation is felt to be the root cause of the pain. Cortisone is effective in treating such pain is because it is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Cortisone injections are an option to reduce the need for surgery in shoulder impingement syndrome when combined with a rehabilitation program. At Square One Health Group, our medical team offers cortisone injections as a solution to your shoulder and knee pain.
Why inject Cortisone?
Cortisone injections provide anti-inflammatory components directly into the area of
inflammation and/or pain, as opposed to a systemic distribution. In regard to musculoskeletal
problems, cortisone injections are performed in order to reduce or even eliminate pain associated
with a variety of disorders, such as:
• Bursitis (most commonly subacromial and trochanteric bursitis)
• Arthritis (any joint may be injected, including joints of the spine)
• Nerve pain (most commonly for sciatica and carpal tunnel)
• Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis (such as plantar fasciitis, trigger finger, DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis, Tennis and Golfer’s elbow)
• Other miscellaneous conditions where inflammation is a contributor to the pain, (frozen shoulder/ adhesive capsulitis, Morton’s neuroma, ganglion cyst injections and Dupuytren’s contracture).
Cortisone is a potent anti-inflammatory medication that helps to reduce swelling of the tissue and reduces scar formation. In the shoulder, they are particularly useful in the management of the following conditions:
• Acromioclavicular joint disease (osteoarthritis or osteolysis)
• Glenohumeral osteoarthritis
• Adhesive capsulitis (or ‘frozen shoulder’)
• Rotator cuff disease (degenerative tendonosis, impingement, partial tears and subacromial bursitis)
Cortisone injections should only be performed in the care of a physician and may be the last resort after a variety of treatments have failed. Rest, other anti-flammatory techniques, and physiotherapy will be considered first before cortinsone injections are administered. Contact our Mississauga medical office to schedule your appointment.
Are Cortisone injections painful?
Most patients say that the sensation is similar to a common immunization needle. If the area of injection experiences pain after the treatment, ice packs and over the counter pain medications can help.
How many cortisone injections can I have?
If progress is not being made after 3 injections, anymore after that may not be beneficial.
Will cortisone injections make me gain weight or weaken my bones?
Conservative use of cortisone injections will reduce the risk of weight gain, osteoporosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Cortisone that is absorbed by the system will clear out in 2-3 days.
Is a cortisone injection just a painkiller?
Cortisone injections works by reducing inflammation, and thus pain secondarily. As such it is treating the pathology, not just the pain. It is important that the injection is followed up with appropriate rehabilitation (see below).
Benefits, Risks, Complications and Side-Effects
As for all medical procedures, there are risks associated with the administration of any medication, including cortisone. However this procedure is more likely to provide you with a benefit, such as pain relief. This benefit outweighs the small risk, but of course it will be based on your specific case and with the providers consideration of your full medical history.
The decision to inject cortisone is not taken lightly and is carefully made by your provider based on your signs, symptoms and past medical history, as well as the suspected diagnosis.
Frequently, a trial injection is made where the diagnosis is not clear, however the body region injected is suspected of causing your pain.
• Infection – This can be avoided by using a sterile ‘no touch’ technique with the needle and an alcohol swab
• Bleeding (especially if patient has a bleeding tendency)
• Neuritis – The cortisone may cause minor irritation to nerves if injected around them
• Systemic absorption. Care should be taken in diabetics as blood sugar levels may rise
Remember that the side effects of cortisone that are commonly reported in the media, such as osteoporosis, weight gain, acne and diabetes only occur when taking cortisone tablets for at least several weeks. These side effects do not occur with the careful use of infrequent cortisone injections.
Contact our Mississauga Medical Office to schedule your appointment.