Cortisone knee injections (aka steroid injections) are common knee treatments prescribed by orthopedic knee doctors as a means of providing temporary knee pain relief. Unfortunately, most knee pain sufferers don't really understand what cortisone does, its side-effects, and why it's important to consider other knee treatment alternatives before getting cortisone knee injections.
Two Types of Cortisone:
1) The first form of cortisone is the one naturally produced by our adrenal glands and released into our bloodstream in times of stress. It is considered our 'fight or flight' hormone.
2) The second form of cortisone is man-made or synthetic. This is the form that is injected into the knee joint to temporarily reduce swelling and inflammation in the knee. For example, Kenalog and Celestone are all name brands of synthetic cortisone injections that are used by orthopedic doctors.
What Do Steroid Injections Actually Do?
Cortisone is a type of steroid. It is not a pain reliever it is simply an anti-inflammatory. It indirectly provides knee pain relief because it reduces the fluid around the knee joint thereby relieving the pressure on the tissues in the knee.
When Should You Get A Cortisone Injection?
If you've had a recent injury, for example from a fall, a car accident, or playing sports and you have acute or severe swelling or inflammation in the knee joint then you should consider getting a cortisone injection. More than likely you will notice immediate relief after the shot; however, the effects will be temporary so while you're still experiencing relief you should be searching for a REAL SOLUTION to your problem.
Reasons to Avoid Cortisone Shots:
1) Steroid injections will not cure you. Results will be temporary, even if you experience a reduction in swelling, inflammation, and pain in the knee joint. After having an injection, you must be cautious, since it is not unusual to exacerbate an injury during this time. (The worst part is you won't know if you've reinjured the knee until the effects of the cortisone wear off.)
2) Only three steroid injections are allowed on a yearly basis because long term and repeated use will cause bone loss, weakening of tendons, and cartilage loss in the knee joint.
3) Do not get a cortisone injection if you don't have fluid or swelling around your knee. It won't help you.
4) If you're diabetic then your blood sugar will need to be monitored since it causes a spike in blood sugar levels.
5) Shots in the knee joint are painful (especially if the area isn't numbed properly) and can cause infections.
6) Again getting a cortisone injection is not a long term solution to relieving chronic knee pain. It does nothing to heal and repair injured tissue that is causing the pain.
A Better Knee Treatment Alternative...
A safer more effective knee treatment alternative to knee injections is cold laser therapy. Cold laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive knee treatment option that allows physicians to treat the cause of the problem thereby eliminating knee pain and inflammation. Cold laser therapy doesn't just temporarily 'cover up' the pain like pain medications or knee injections. Cold laser therapy works by stimulating the healing process on a cellular level so that injured and damaged tissue can heal and repair itself faster.
In the long run, cortisone injections destroy bone and cartilage as well as weaken the tendons and make them more vulnerable to tears. For example, if you have been diagnosed with 'bone on bone' the last thing you want is more cartilage or bone loss. Or if you have tendonitis and you've gotten multiple cortisone injections to help relieve the inflammation around the knee then its highly likely that the tendon could tear. Even a torn meniscus will have a difficult time healing on its own with prolonged cortisone use.
The problem with knee injections is that you're trading short term relief for long term problems. It's similar to taking prescription medications, you're 'helping' relieve one condition but you're creating another problem because of the side-effects from the drugs.
In Conclusion...
A cold laser therapy knee treatment program should certainly be an option considered by individuals suffering from chronic knee pain; especially since it is painless, safe, and more effective than cortisone. Cold laser therapy is certainly not a cure-all but it sure beats the 'conventional' alternatives that we KNOW aren't long term solutions for treating chronic knee pain.
Copyright (c) 2011 Dr.Schnee,D.C.,PA
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