Would Cortisone injection work? | Arthritis Information
I have been suffering from arthritis for many years. I got Cortisone injection a month ago. How long will it last? I am starting to get pain back in my knees.:( Not for too long. Usually for me it's about a month. Just enough time for you to think it's cured the problem and then back to reality.
A kenalog injection will last longer. I had one two months ago and saw my rheumy today. He said it wears off slowly and should provide relief for about 3 months.
I hope you have an appointment with your dr pretty soon. Are you on other meds to help you out? When you say arthritis, do you mean RA or something else. There are a ton of meds that is various combinations that can slow down the diease and prevent more damage.
Hope you feel better soon.
Hi gkaur, and welcome! In my experience, how long a cortisone injection lasts is very individual. I've hear some people say it lasted them 6 months to a year. Many only 2-3 months. For me, when I first started getting cortisone injections many years ago, they seemed to last about 2 months. I just had one in my right knee about a months ago, and I only got a little relief for about 2 weeks. But my knee arthritis is very advanced, and I'm waiting to recover from my recent left replacement before moving on to the next. It will be interesting to see what others have to say! Good luck!
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What a Cortisone Shot Does
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Cortisone, a hormone, is
produced naturally in the body, so there are very few allergic
reactions. As a matter of fact, cortisone injections may be used with
people who have extreme allergies. These shots are used to help with
inflammation, dissolve scar tissue, speed up healing and get rid of some
cysts. Cortisone shots are mostly used to relieve pain and swelling in a
certain area such as knees, ankles, elbows, hips and shoulders. Many
people with arthritis receive cortisone shots.
Variables
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A cortisone shot may last a
different amount of time in different people, depending on several
variables. These injections have been known to help people one time (no
more shots are ever needed), for one month, for a few days, or just a
few hours. Here are some of the variables for you and your physician to
consider when thinking about cortisone shots: the amount of inflammation
in the body, the cause of the inflammation and your age and overall health.
Cortisone by itself is not used much with today's doctors because it
does not last long enough. If you get a "cortisone" shot, you are
actually getting a semi-artificial cortisone derivative such as
DepoMedrol or Kenalog.
Side Effects and Problems
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If a cortisone shot does not
seem to be lasting very long or only providing temporary relief, then
health experts suggest exploring other possible treatments with your
physician. If it is not working, then there is no use continuing this
treatment. Cortisone shots can have side effects and cause other
problems in your body. In animals,
cortisone shots have been shown to weaken tendons if they are injected
into the tendon directly. Problems can also exist if the injection is
given in a joint--it can soften cartilage. Physicians may limit the
amount of shots into a joint in a month to avoid these problems. For
example, people with rheumatoid arthritis may only receive one shot into
a joint once a month. http://www.arthritisjointpaingone.com
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