Myths About Steroids Used In Pain Injections!

Steroids are also known as corticosteroids and have been widely used in pain management interventions. These are man-made medicines, which resemble the naturally occurring cortisol found in the human body. These injections are different from the steroids abused by athletes.

Steroids are available in various forms. The age, health, comorbidities and diagnosis of the patient/condition being treated, determine the dose and route of steroids prescription. For example, a knee joint injection of steroids may be more suitable in a case of pain due to knee arthritis compared to oral steroids when treating a patient with metastatic cancer patient and widespread symptoms. There is research evidence suggesting that localised injections such as that into a joint is 5 times less likely to produce side effects when compared to steroids taken orally or intravenously. Hence a one-off local injection should not be treated as the same as a cause of oral steroids.

How can steroid injections in spine/ joints help:
Here are some of the benefits of steroid injections -

1. Pain reduction - These injections deliver the medication close to the problem as a result more drug reaches the site of action compared to when it is taken orally.

2. Reduced inflammation and swelling

3. Long-lasting effects - effects can last for a long time especially when compared with the effects of oral pain killers. This period can be effectively utilized by the patient to engage in physiotherapy and strengthen the supporting muscles.

The onset of action may also be quicker although the full effects of these injections can take some time of manifest. The result of injections can vary from person to person. Some may require more than one injection to achieve good results. Your Pain management specialist will guide through the process and explain a patient the pros and cons of these injections. The most common side effect of using steroid injections is a steroid flare which manifests as increased pain for the first few days. This usually responds to simple pain killers. However, one can also use a cold pack to relax his/her muscles.