Cortisone

[Skilzat85X]

My doctor (new one yay) that I saw too decided to give me a cortisone shot in the hopes of healing my wrist injury that's been bothering me for well over 20 months (time flies). I did a little research and for my specific problem, hopefully it'll finally do the trick.

Good lawd my wrist is so sore though haha. Ibuprofen helped a lot though, hurray.

Anyways, who else has received cortisone injections for whatever injury? Where was the injury? How long had it persisted before your injection? Did the injection exponentially help your recover? Did you need more than one? Etc etc?

Story time! :wise:

[AsoBit]

My brother got a cortisone shot in his hip for snapping hip syndrome/cartilage loss that he had for 10 months prior. He only got one, and supplemented with chiropractor to realign his hips. The cortisone shot made it feel better within a day, and the chiropractor helped keep things steady.

Though he says it's starting to act up again.

[Tossman]

I've had no real experience here, but wouldn't any effect of cortisone be temporary? What is your injury anyway?

[Skilzat85X]

http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_4_3.htm
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=19691234

Apparently, when you keep irritating already inflamed tissue in the wrist (a result of over/improper training), it basically keeps building and building until you're left with a bunch of inflamed/scar tissue, which can slightly effect the motion of your wrist joint, as demonstrated in the first link.

The cortisone is a steroid and if it gets rid of whatever problem, it should get rid of it "for good." Of course, if one does the same things over and over that originally caused the problem without properly conditioning for them, then they'll most likely be at risk to get it again.

But the point of it is to get rid of the problem without surgery basically. If for some reason it hasn't healed at all from this (doubtful), then surgery will most likely be the only sure fix, which of course comes with it's share of drawbacks.

[Rahf]

Cortisone injections is a last ditch effort. It is not something one should strive for immediately. I'd say that 20 months of problems would probably warrant one though.

The important thing is to be goddamn thorough from now on. Rehab rehab rehab.

[Skilzat85X]

Yes.

I tried stretching stretching them all the time (in fact my wrists are quite stretched now even though the problem was still there haha, doctor said I had great ROM even with the injury). I tried periods of rest with splints, for months at a time occasionally. Ice, heat. Periods of strength training, some with both weights, body weight exercises, sledgehammer, or staff training (all which seemed to only aggravate it :eh:). Anti-inflammatories, in fact my last doctor recommended a solid month of about 400mg ibuprofen every single day (this was still a year after it became a problem). Absolutely no change.
Then he's like oh it must be a ganglion. They then proceeded with the ganglion breaking procedure, involving sticking it with a syringe and filling it up with whatever fluid they inject to burst it (it gets HUGE under the skin lol), then draining it. Although, apparently, they just stuck it in my skin and drained it right out, cause it seems there must have been no ganglion there to burst, seeings as the symptoms did not decrease.
I've also tried hitting it and being angry at it. Then I've tried training through it a little, which of course didn't work.

I think this is one of the last things I can do, sans surgery. Haha. :smile:

[jan]

Good luck man. I just avoided cortisone injections for my hip, and I'm starting acupuncture next week. I've been through manual therapy for about 2 weeks, and my hip feels better.

I hope your wrist gets better though! The main reason I wanted to avoid having to use cortisone, is because it could damage muscle tissue and make me weaker (apparently).

[Origional]

I had to get one when I tore my rotator cuff

it took (me) a track thower 7 months to be able to do a single push up(w/ PT)

it has pretty much healed up accept for a poping noise when I raise my arm above 90°

[Origional]

the injections help a lot

[Rahf]

Good luck man. I just avoided cortisone injections for my hip, and I'm starting acupuncture next week. I've been through manual therapy for about 2 weeks, and my hip feels better.

I hope your wrist gets better though! The main reason I wanted to avoid having to use cortisone, is because it could damage muscle tissue and make me weaker (apparently).

Hopefully the amount of one injection shouldn't be enough to cause severe atrophy. It will have an effect though and the effect will be negative in terms of muscle, bone and tendon strength. As said it is really the ultimate last ditch effort.

I don't want anyone else on this forum start crying about wanting cortison injections. You really don't unless the problems have persisted for years with no other rehab being successful.

[jan]

Yeah. I've had my hip problems since March, and it's finally getting better again. I tried avoiding Cortisone for as long as possible, and now I might get to avoid it all together:)

SEND ME YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER ON MSN BTW! I O U

[Rahf]

Oh yeah! Be online tonight!

[Karlnold]

Just remember that cortisone pretty much disolves the tissue in the area where it's injected, it will hurt a lot less, but the joint or whatever will be weaker and more fragile than ever, the chances of getting even more hurt increases when given cortisone, so you be really careful. I would never get a cortisone shot, ever. It's insane that they still give them for people who does sports, the only good use for cortisone is when it's given to dying cancer patients in grave pain, they dont have any use for their bodies anymore.

[Origional]

Just remember that cortisone pretty much disolves the tissue in the area where it's injected, it will hurt a lot less, but the joint or whatever will be weaker and more fragile than ever, the chances of getting even more hurt increases when given cortisone, so you be really careful. I would never get a cortisone shot, ever. It's insane that they still give them for people who does sports, the only good use for cortisone is when it's given to dying cancer patients in grave pain, they dont have any use for their bodies anymore.

I disagree. From someone WHO HAS ACTUALLY HAD A SHOT they do FAR MORE GOOD THAN BAD.

Yes, they do cause atopraphy, but, if you are injured enough to consider it then losing a bit of muss is the least of your worries.

I got shots, it sucked for about a week, and then I improved greatly. My shoulder had been torn for about 3.5 months when I got a shot. For the first time I could lift my arm above horizontal.

[Karlnold]

It's not like you just lose "a lil' muss" it actually weakens your tendons and everything. Even just one shot causes irreversible damage to the joint and cartilage, it weakens tissue and covers up the pain, ofc you feel better. I never said you wouldnt, you idiot.

The bad thing is that you're really hurt, the shot just makes you feel as if you're fine, but you're not, you're off even worse than before, but you think you're fine and you're putting pressure on that poor weakened joint of yours even thought it's obviously no way near recovered. You can either do this, get the shots and risk fucking up your joints for life, or actually bare with the pain and try to recover properly and and slowly work your way back until your knee, hip, shoulder or whatever has actually recovered.

This is very important for athletes and it should be in the interest of trickers out there aswell. If you're an inactive cunt or a frat girl or some old dying fart, then just go for the shot.

[Rahf]

Karlnold, you are a hero.