What are the risks and side effects of cortisone injections? What justifications exist for using it? To answer these questions, continue reading the following article.
Most frequently, joints such as the ankle joint, elbow, knee, hip, shoulder, spine, or wrist are where cortisone injections are given to treat pain and inflammation in the body. This also includes small joints in the hands and feet.
What are the harms of cortisone injections? Cortisone injections typically include a corticosteroid medication in addition to a local anaesthetic, and they are administered by a specialist doctor. However, due to the damages of cortisone injections and their anticipated side effects, the number of doses or injections that can be taken in the same place is relatively limited.
Harmful effects of cortisone injections
Cortisone injection injuries come in a variety of common and uncommon forms, but they are all serious. Cortisone injection damage includes the following:
1. Typical negative effects of cortisone shots
The most common side effects and harms of cortisone injections include the following:
- Pain around the cortisone injection site, called a cortisone flare.
- Boils or bruises developing where the cortisone injection was made.
- a change in colour and tenderness around the injection site, as well as paleness of the skin.
- Several days of high blood sugar, especially if you have diabetes.
- especially if you already have high blood pressure, high blood pressure for a few days.
- Hours are used to estimate how long the face has been red.
- weight gain, increased appetite, and fluid retention.
- Mood disorders and swings, feeling worn out and having trouble falling asleep.
2. Rare cortisone injection damage
The following are a few of the uncommon, but potentially serious, cortisone injection side effects and damages:
- Inflammation occurs.
- a response to a cortisone injection that is allergic.
- redness and hives;
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- Weakness in the tendons.
- Loss of bone minerals.
- atrophic adrenal disease, such as Addison's disease.
- Abnormal heart rate.
- vision problems
- Seizures of epilepsy.
- different areas of the body swelling
Tips to reduce the damage of cortisone injections
Some patients suffer from a feeling of warmth in the chest and face and redness after taking a cortisone dose. The following techniques can be used, and the doctor may also suggest them to the patient:
- To protect the injection site for a day or two, avoid lifting heavy objects if the injection is in the shoulder area, and avoid bending the legs if the injection is in the knee, for example.
- If you need to relieve pain after receiving an injection, apply ice to the area; do not use warm compresses.
- Do not use the hot bath or jacuzzi for at least two days after the injection. The act of taking a regular shower is not improper.
- Keep an eye out for infection symptoms, such as swelling, redness, and increased pain that lasts longer than 48 hours.
Benefits and uses of cortisone injections
Cortisone injections have both positive and negative effects, and their intended uses include the following:
- Helps reduce local inflammation in one area of the body more and faster than traditional oral anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Taking a single injection of cortisone can avoid other side effects that may accompany many oral anti-inflammatory drugs, the most important of which is stomach irritation.
- Cortisone injections can be given easily by a doctor.
- Cortisone injections are characterized by rapid action, a high success rate, and minimal side effects.
- Joint fluid can be removed prior to a cortisone injection. This is a major advantage because this fluid can be sent to a laboratory and analyzed to determine the cause of joint enlargement. This test is an accurate and powerful diagnostic test.