What is Cortisone, or Cortisone Injection?
Cortisone is a
powerful anti-inflammatory steroid medication.
It is used to treat conditions ranging from skin
rash to asthma to autoimmune diseases. Cortisone
when injected around inflamed joints and nerves reduces the swelling,
irritation, and pain caused by the inflammatory
condition.
Why is Facet Medial Branch Block helpful?
Facet medial branch
block is used to help with both diagnosing and
treating certain types of spinal pain and
sciatica. When used to diagnose pain, it
helps the doctor pin-point the pain source, to
see whether the pain is coming from the joints.
The block also helps to reduce the pain, muscle
tension, spasm, disuse pain cycle by
interrupting the vicious feedback loop of pain,
stiffness and spasm.
How many injections will I need?
Facet injections
are usually performed as a series of 2 to 3 injections
over several weeks depending on the patient's
response. Not all patients require
multiple injections. If a patient responds
well to the initial treatment, the procedure in
most cases does not need to be repeated.
If a patient
responds favorably but only temporarily to the
facet medial branch block procedure,
radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the nerves
can then be performed to provide longer term
relief (months to years).
The
treatments can be repeated indefinitely
in the future (in 6 months, or later in life), if the problem
returns.
Does cortisone just cover up my pain? Will I
injure myself without knowing?
Cortisone is neither a pain medication nor an
anesthetic. It is an anti-inflammatory drug. It
is a compound similar to what the body normally
produces at times of stress, except
longer-lasting. Cortisone helps the body
recover. All of your faculties and sensations
will remain intact, thus you will not injure
yourself without knowing.
Is steroid bad for you?
Problems with cortisone injections are rare. Cortisone is a
steroid, but it is not the performance-enhancing
anabolic steroid you’ve heard so much about.
Cortisone is more likely to cause problems when
it is used chronically, such as for treating
rheumatoid arthritis or for asthma. A short
series of cortisone injections rarely causes problems.
Long term or high dose steroid exposure can
cause significant problems including
osteoporosis, weight gain, adrenal suppression,
avascular necrosis of joints among other
conditions.
It is important for
you to tell your PainCare doctor if you have
received recent steroid treatments either as
injections or pills, since some physicians will
have placed some patients on oral steroids prior
to referring them to PainCare.
Why can't I just take steroid pills?
The short answer is
'yes, you can.' However, oral steroids by the
time it gets absorbed through the gut and
redistributes to the target tissue, becomes
diluted and less effective. Increasing the
dosage by mouth to increase tissue drug delivery
on the other hand is more likely to cause those
other significant side effects.
Is cortisone used only for back and leg pain?
Cortisone
can be used to treat joints and nerves in many
areas of the body but lower back and neck are
the most common
locations for interventional procedures.
Do you do facet injections under X-ray?
Precise medication delivery to the injured areas
is essential for good response. Training and
equipment do affect how some physicians in the
community practice. Our specially designed
interventional suites, with the most advanced GE
C-arm and multi-directional x-ray tables, set
the standard. Our facility is fully accredited
by AAAHC and Medicare for meeting high quality
standards.
The information contained here is not
intended as a substitute for professional
medical evaluation and management. It
should be used only as a starting point for
further research. A physician should always
be consulted for any health problem.
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