Inflammatory arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, is hard to manage. Here, you need to adopt an effective treatment option. Cortisone shots are useful in relieving pain, thereby proving to be effective for inflammatory arthritis.
As per a study, 1 in 5 Canadians deal with arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis of the knee involves joint inflammation, thereby resulting in a painful knee. The common symptoms are swelling, stiffness, redness, etc. Why do you need to treat this condition immediately? You need to adopt the right treatment process because this disease affects your ability to walk properly.
Cortisone shots are effective in relieving pain. This makes the treatment process an effective one to combat inflammatory arthritis of the knee. This results in improving your mobility while lowering your pain. This blog assesses whether cortisone shots can be considered to manage inflammatory arthritis of the knee.
What is Knee Inflammatory Arthritis?
Inflammatory arthritis of the knee refers to a condition in which your immune system attacks the tissue in the joint. Therefore, you experience pain, swelling, and stiffness. Well, the ongoing inflammation is hard to bear.
How does inflammation affect knee joints? Inflamed tissues, mainly the synovial membrane, produce additional lubricating fluid, causing your knee to puff up and feel tight. Well, fluid buildup and cartilage damage account for bone-on-bone friction, thereby causing this autoimmune condition. Let’s see the different types of inflammatory arthritis.
| Condition | Cause | Common Symptoms |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Autoimmune | Swelling, warmth, stiffness, etc. |
| Gout | Uric acid buildup | Sudden severe pain, redness, etc. |
| Psoriatic arthritis | Immune-related | Pain, stiffness, skin symptoms, etc. |
Table 1: Different Types of Inflammatory Arthritis
What are Cortisone Shots?
A cortisone shot refers to an injection of medicine that results in pain relief and inflammation reduction. These are also called steroid injections. Not for curing arthritis, this treatment is mainly designed to minimize inflammation.
What does a cortisone shot contain? A cortisone shot contains a corticosteroid medication (like triamcinolone or methylprednisolone) for relieving inflammation and a local anesthetic for temporary pain relief. Such shots are directly injected into the painful joint or soft tissue.
How does a Cortisone Injection Work?
Before understanding whether cortisone shots are effective for knee inflammatory arthritis, you need to understand how does a cortisone injection work. Cortisone reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory immune responses in the joint.. This injection suppresses immune system activity in the joint, along with lowering inflammatory chemicals.
While considering cortisone shots for inflammatory arthritis of the knee, you need to inject the medication directly into the knee. This results in quicker and more targeted relief. With fewer systemic side effects than oral steroids, corticosteroids are more effective in treating knee inflammatory arthritis.
How does Cortisone Shot in Knees Work?
Cortisone shots are effective for inflammatory arthritis of the knee. Referring to the procedure, a powerful anti-inflammatory steroid is injected directly into the joint. What happens after that? Well, the medicine immediately spreads through the joint space. This lowers inflammation, thereby improving pain and stiffness.
The healthcare provider may use ultrasound or imaging guidance to accurately place the needle. How do you feel when the shot is given? You will feel numb initially because of the provision of local anaesthesia. Well, you will feel the steroid effect within 24 to 72 hours. Here is the timeline of cortisone shot effects.
| Time frame | What to Expect |
| First few hours | Temporary numbness |
| 1 to 3 days | Lowered inflammation |
| 1 to 8 weeks | Pain relief and improved mobility |
Table 2: Timeline of cortisone shot effects
How to Get a Cortisone Shot?
Are you aware of how to get a cortisone shot? Well, you need to understand when it is recommended. You can go for this treatment if you have persistent knee pain and any medication or therapy is not working. This is also suggested in case of arthritis flare-ups.
Referring to the treatment, it begins with discussing medication, checking for any infection, and positioning. The healthcare professional will examine your knee and will opt for imaging if required. The injection (steroid and anesthetic) is injected into the inflamed area. After this, a small bandage is applied. The doctor might apply ice packs for pain management.
What are the Advantages of Cortisone Shots for Knee Inflammatory Arthritis?
Apart from knowing how does cortisone injection works, you must understand why this treatment is advantageous for knee arthritis. This makes you decide whether you rely on cortisone shots for inflammatory arthritis of the knee. Let’s discuss.
- Instant pain relief: A key reason behind preferring cortisone shots for knee arthritis is that they lower pain significantly. Like, you might feel reduced pain within a few days.
- Lowered inflammation: Cortisone shots are considered for knee arthritis because of their ability to minimize inflammation. Being an effective anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroids lower stiffness and swelling and make you feel relieved.
- Improved mobility: You have trouble with mobility if you suffer from knee arthritis. Cortisone shots lower pain, thereby making your knee move easily. Also, you can perform your daily activities in a better manner.
- Delaying surgery: Often, patients need to undergo knee replacement surgery. Cortisone shots help in delaying or avoiding more invasive procedures.
What are the Side Effects of Cortisone Shots for Knee Arthritis?
Here are the probable side effects of cortisone shots for knee arthritis.
Short-Term
A common short-term side effect of cortisone shots is that people often see a flare-up in their joint pain in the first 24 hours after the procedure. As steroids can enter your bloodstream, there is a chance of elevated blood sugar levels or blood pressure. Although rare, there is a chance of infection.
Long-Term
In the long term, there is a chance for accelerated cartilage damage. Not only cartilage, but steroids can also weaken the tissues that are holding the knee together. Also, osteonecrosis can develop in rare cases.
Who Should and Shouldn’t Get Cortisone Shots?
Are you suffering from knee arthritis? If yes, you can opt for cortisone shots. Let’s check out whether you are a fit for this treatment or not.
Ideal Candidates for Cortisone Shots
You are an ideal candidate if you have:
- Mild to moderate inflammatory arthritis
- Not responding to NSAIDs
- Failed Conservative Care
Who Shouldn’t Get Cortisone Shots
You are not ideal for cortisone shots if you have the following conditions.
- Having an active infection
- With any bleeding disorder
- Broken bones
- Allergic to steroids
Looking Back
Inflammatory arthritis of the knee affects the mobility of a person. Here, cortisone shots can be an effective option. The medication is applied to the knee directly, and it targets lowering inflammation. The key benefits are rapid pain relief, improved mobility, etc.
Planning to Treat Knee Inflammatory Arthritis with Cortisone Shots?
We are a reputed healthcare clinic, experts in treating knee arthritis. Choose us and interact with a professional to know whether you are capable of cortisone shots. This helps to lower your joint pain and improve your mobility.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Kind of Anesthetic is Used in Cortisone Injections for Knee Arthritis?
Cortisone shots rely on a local anesthesia while conducting the procedure. In most cases, this can be either bupivacaine or lidocaine. This is mainly considered to numb the target area.
2. How Often Can You Get Cortisone Shots?
Cortisone shots are given 3 to 4 times a year in the same spot. You need to wait for three months at least between shots to avoid cartilage damage. The frequency depends on the condition of a patient, with some requiring more or less.
3. Are There Alternatives to Cortisone Shots for Knee Inflammation?
People mainly prefer cortisone shots because they are non-surgical. You can go for physical therapy as it is an effective alternative to cortisone shots. Some of the other alternatives are hyaluronic acid injections, PRP therapy, and stem cell therapy.
4. Can Cortisone Injections Make Arthritis Worse?
There is a chance that cortisone injections can worsen arthritis. While lowering short-term inflammation, arthritis can be worsened by damaging cartilage cells and accelerating joint deterioration. This might lead to rapidly progressive osteoarthritis.
