Do steroid injections help with pain?

Firefly123

Hi I'm a carer for 3 young adults been having muscle/joint pain for a long time was always put down that or I'd pulled a muscle or its me doing to much anyway after blood tests been told I have arthritis just not one of the main two they want me to have steroid injections in my hands as they have been sticking a lot lately. My pain seems to every joint from my fingers right up to my shoulders could not even lift my arms up.
Do they help? 

Peasmold_01

They can in the short term, however, be aware of the side effects. Suggest you Google for side effects of steroid injection. 

mumjac

I've had them a few times they are good , but not a cure but takes the pain for about 6 weeks our more , I'm hoping that my doctor will give me one so i can enjoy my holiday i haven't had side effect , i have Rheumatoid Arthritis 

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Seawitch

they are like most things sometimes they work and sometimes they don't , i have had them for an elbow complaint and twice they worked and i was pain free for a while and once when it didn't and there was no change and recently ( 3 weeks ) i have had one in my shoulder and it half worked it reduced the pain slightly but not completely and it wore off quickly

fenfisher

Hi everyone as a result of 3 road accidents I have been left with chronic spinal pain and have to attend pain clinic I usually end up with 6 spine steroid injections usually have worst pain for about a week and then they start to work and a lot of pain relief this normally lasts for a few months then I take h d pain killers till I go again  
all I would say in my case it works but have heard that sometimes it  doesn’t it certainly worth a try  

Markmywords

Cortico-steroids are an anti-inflammatory. If the pain is due to inflammation then an injection might help. They are not a pain killer themselves therefore the relief will be temporary.

Also, if the condition is an auto-immune related one then Cortico-steroids can help as they are an immune system suppressant too.

Firefly123

Thanks everyone at this point I would try anything this pain is unbearable 

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Firefly123

I had the injection it seems to have helped a bit but only on one side 

exdvr

@Firefly123  Hi.   My doc would only allow me 2 injections for a torn rotator cuff [shoulder] and said after that I would have to have an operation to cure it.  The injections only worked for 6 weeks at a time. 

Best wishes.

deltablue52

Hello.
In my case they certainly help.
My knees need replacing,, but steroid injections do help in the short term,for about 4-6 weeks  but its worth remembering that you can only have 3 or so in a 12 month period--so im told!.

Firefly123

Yes my doctor said the same can only have 3 a year also. It only seems to be when the weather changes I'm effected this badly 

Topkitten

I have been tried with steroid injections into the spine and the benefit was short-lived, not long enough to make it worthwhile repeating. Yes, such injections can and do help but long-term usage of steroids can be problematic. I was told there was a maximum of 2 spinal injections per year and preferably only one. However, the benefit took a month to "kick in" and only lasted 3 months.  I was told that direct spinal pain killer injections were also available but tended to last for a shorter time so once again I was not allowed the option after the first steroid injection. It may be possible for you to have pain killer types which have less long-term problems due to not being steroid based.

TK

Firefly123

Yes that's my worry as am on steroids also and since they don't know exactly the cause but this has been the worst it's been and lasted over a month. Can't wait to see the specialist on Tuesday and hoping for an answer to the cause 

Topkitten

A month is a fairly short time in health service terms @Firefly123 and officially Chronic Pain is not classed as such until it has had a significant impact for 3 months or more. Steroid problems tend to vary depending on level and frequency rather than a specific period but is usually over a year minimum.

When I am faced with the similar suggestions regarding opiate usage my answer is that it doesn't really matter as I need it for life and cannot function without it, currently at a very high dosage.

TK

Firefly123

Yes it's been every winter for the last 5 years gradually getting worse and worse this is the worst it's ever been can't even lift my arms up do my own hair or do much at all I would rather know what I'm dealing with instead of just guess work as my go is useless and always reminding me of how my medication comes out there budget I'm on a lot  or blames it on me being a carer so keeps putting off sending me a referral so I have to pay for it myself before I need a carer. 

deltablue52

The problem is that too much steroid use can cause bone damage and lack of vitamin D- .
My consultant has put me on low dose slow release morphine (400mg) a very small capsule once a day. Ive found that it isn't habit forming but,can cause constipation.-apart from that it has helped me. 

Firefly123

I already have a vitamin D Deficiency as well as iron and calcium so I try to only use the steroids when I really need to as my mother suffered bad bone damage due to being on so many steroids 

Markmywords

It takes years of high doses to cause problems. 20-plus milligrams a day for years would do it. Some people are more susceptible than others too.

They've trashed my skeleton and taken all my teeth but it took years.

It's very unlikely to cause you problems in even the medium term. Getting your doctors to monitor the situation is the answer.

Amikal

Hi, the relief is temporary. They work for about 6-8 weeks but not always. Short lived...the benefit is not long enough to make it worthwhile. Problematic side effect on hair,nails,teeth... I hope your pain eases @Firefly123

Firefly123

Thank you all for your replies 

Peasmold_01

1986, 60 mg a day for 3 years , followed two years later, by another 2 years of 60 mg a day, resulted in a diagnosis of osteoporosis 15 years laters. All I will say is monitor the dose. I have had steroid injections in my shoulders, and even my thumb joints. They work,-but... And there is always a but where medication is concerned. 

deltablue52

Your right there.
In 1976 I was diagnosed with Grand Mal Epilepsy-(lost job blah blah).
I was put on phenobarbitone,Epanutin and other drugs.
About 12 years ago I was referred to a consultant because of leg pain, in the process It was found that I had no vitamin D whatever in my body.
The damage had been done, I was diagnosed with  osteoperosis, rheuhmatoid arthritis, and  inflammatory arthritis on top of this scoliosis of the spine and diverticular disease  togeather with kidney problems.
 I take heaps of treatment.
.Ive just retired a year ago, but I try and be positive about my many complex conditions,which come and go-I just think that there are people out there worse off than me---Just dont give up I say.!!(well thats easy for me to say):)

Firefly123

I'm seeing a consultant on Tuesday I'm really hoping for an answer instead of just being told try this take these pills and suffer would rather know what I'm suffering from