Millions of people suffer from joint pain, and if you’re one of them, you know all too well how even relatively mild pain can take a toll on simple daily activities, especially when pain is chronic and persistent. While physical therapy and activity modification can help in some cases, other times these approaches simply can’t provide the relief you need or want.
The good news: Cortisone injections offer a nonsurgical option for many types of orthopaedic pain, including common joint pain. Here, the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics explains what happens before, during, and after a cortisone injection so you can feel confident in your care every step of the way.
There’s no denying cortisone injections can help relieve painful symptoms. But they’re not the right choice for all types of pain — which is why the initial evaluation is so important.
Before we recommend cortisone injections or any other therapy, our team reviews your symptoms thoroughly, asking when they occur, how intense and frequent they are, and what activities seem to trigger them. We also perform a physical exam and typically recommend diagnostic imaging, like X-rays or MRIs, to see “inside” your body.
During this visit, we’ll also ask detailed questions about your medical history, including questions about any chronic conditions you have and what medications or supplements you take (yes, even vitamins). That’s because some medicines and supplements can interfere with the effects of cortisone, and some medical conditions can too. For example, if you have diabetes, corticosteroids can cause a temporary increase in blood sugar.
Finally, while cortisone injections can be a good choice for many orthopaedic issues in your joints and other areas, they’re not the right option for others. For example, prolonged corticosteroid use can weaken tendons, so if your symptoms involve a tendon problem, we may recommend another type of therapy or limit corticosteroid use.
The injection itself is quick. We start by cleaning your skin at the injection site. Next, we insert a needle into or near the affected area, injecting the medication slowly.
Like any injection, you may feel a pinch when the needle is inserted, followed by pressure as the medication enters your body. In most cases, your injection includes a local anesthetic in addition to the steroid medication to numb the area and keep you comfortable.
As noted, the injection takes just a few moments. For more complex injection-site anatomy, we may use diagnostic imaging during your injection to ensure the most accurate, precise needle placement. Afterward, there’s no downtime, and in most cases, you can go home right away.
Like many medicines, corticosteroids take some time to work. If your injection included a local anesthetic, you may initially feel relief from painful symptoms, but that effect wears off over a few hours to a day or so.
The actual corticosteroid medication takes a few days to take effect. In some cases, your symptoms may actually feel worse for a day or two before those effects “kick in.” You may also have temporary swelling in the area after the injection. Resting and applying ice intermittently can help relieve these symptoms while you wait for the corticosteroid effects to take effect.
With or without discomfort, it’s still important to limit activities following your injection. We’ll provide you with guidelines to help you know when it’s OK to return to your regular routines and activities based on the cause of your symptoms, the location of the injection, and other factors. Even if you feel better quickly, follow your instructions to avoid setbacks.
The duration of the injection’s benefits also varies from person to person, but in most cases, you can expect relief for several weeks to several months. In fact, cortisone injections can be a good “intermediate” treatment to help you participate in physical therapy or other treatments where pain might otherwise interfere.
Cortisone injections aren’t the right treatment for every type of orthopedic pain, but for many people, they can play a key role in nonsurgical symptom management. To learn if they’re a good choice for you, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics in Flemington, Bridgewater, and Washington, New Jersey, today.
