cortizone injection v's phiso???

lynnemarie

Hi

I have recently had my 6 month visit to the rhumey and offered a cortizone injection into my arm - i have had probs with my arm for a good few years that has become worse the last 6 months or so
i have psoriasis arthiritis - now I know that a injection would prob sort out all my probs - however as i am sooooo scared of injections and needles and nearly pass out at every one of my 3 month blood tests - i couldn't cope with it at that moment in time - partly cause i hadnt prepared myself for it - and they seemed to be offering them to everyone at the clinic!!

So i opted to try phisio first - i have lost a lot of strength in that arm - i could probably cope with the pain if i needed to but it scares me that i cant use the arm like i used to - they think it is tennis elbow where arthiritis has set in.

Upto 6 months ago my worse joint was my jaw - which again i put off having the injection and it has eased and is no longer my worse joint

I just wondered if anyone could offer me a bit of advice to if i have done the right thing turning down the injection and does physio work at all?????
:?:
thanks

Lynne
xxx

elnafinn

Hi Lynne

Physio can work in instances and also the injections. It is still not too late to have an injection if you can be brave enough to go down that road. I have never found the injections to be a permanent solution but have found that with the correct exercising, religiously performed every day, however many times you are instructed to do them, can indeed strengthen joints.

Luv
Elna x

sarahpeps

Hi Lynne,
I had these injections in my fingers a few years ago, had to have a general anasthetic as the doc said it would be painful. I was in agony for a few days, then a lot better. Unfortunately after a couple of months my hands were back to normal

On the other side my mother in law has an injection in her shoulder every six months and she says its great.

It goes to show everyone is different and I would expect your doctor to say whether it is worthwhile for you.
Sarah

skezier

Hi Lynne,

Its a bit of a difficult one this. For me well I have the injections if offered every time. Physio doesn't seem to free it so much now a days but it used to. I've only had the jabs in my elbow, shoulder, neck, knees and back and some do hurt for bit but all of them have some effect. I don't know I should want one in my jaw but I do know I would have it if you see what I mean. Cortisone last (on me) for around 8 weeks but the big ones in my neck are medrome and cortisone and a chemical that temp knocks out the nerves and those, for me, are wonderful and last around 6-7 months. Then it comes back with vengeance That one is topped up with cortisone via trigger points every 8-10 weeks. I wonder could you have both physio and the jabs? I'm a convert, sorry, I never used to be but they have made my joints so much easier to live with for a time. Take care Cris

salamander

hi Lynne, like you I was v nervous of having injections but I had three, one in my knee and two in my shoulder. I can honestly tell you I didn't feel a thing! REALLY. I didn't even realise they had been done. The cruical thing, for me anyway, is not to look at the needle. If I do I tense up and then the injection may hurt because your muscles are tense.
good luck!

woodbon

Hi, I'm lucky, I don't mind injections although, of course, I'd rather not have them! I have carpel tunnel and I had both wrists injected, the injection hurt a little bit, but nothing like I'd been told they do. The worst part of it was that I was fine after the injection, but as we were walking across the car park, I felt my hand go number and tingley and felt very sick and faint. Luckily, it only lasted a few minutes, but it was scary at the time! :shock: I still don't know what caused it. They did tell me to sit down for half an hour, but I said I was fine :shock: I think I should have followed their advice!!! :oops: :oops: :oops: Love Sue

rosyred

hello
I had my knee injetion only 2 weeks ago... I made my hubby come with me holding my hand other hand over my face... And why??

I felt a little prick :oops: that was it... at the end i cryed like a baby .. prob from relife that it wasent as bad as i was told...

I even rang my dr to ask him for calm me down pills. :oops: .. He on the phone said u dont need them i promise u ..

The phyio wouldent touch me as i was in so much pain and the swelling very bad.. so i ahvent a clue if it would have worked or not ..
Hope u feel better xxx

lottiefox

Hi all,

Just a question about the cortisone into the knee - those that have had it, does it help with swelling and pain? After being brutally told my knee needed major surgery at the weekend I'm researching all other options and it does seem that logically, something to get the swelling down and moderate the pain so I can get back to Physio properly might be logical - before Doctor Chopper demolishes my entire leg!! I'm not too fussed about injections (don't like them but if they help then I'll cope) and I used to have a steroid into my bum for severe hay fever when I was a teenager and that worked like a dream. I know thats not joint based but my body clearly liked it!!!

Is there a risk it can make matters worse? I know long term they can't be repeated too much, and you can get a flare for a day or two but can they make things seriously worse? :?

I'm such a worry-pot!!

Thanks,

Lottie xxx

PS And when you have one, do you have to rest afterwards or can you walk about? e.g. to catch a train or get a taxi etc?!

lynnemarie

Hi All,

thanks for your comments,

I went to see my gp who said that Physio wouldnt have any effect at all on me and the only way to have any relief would be to have a injection and physio afterwards, I explained I was a wuss (he said he knew!! - i suppose it is on my records) and booked me in for 2 days afterwards! - thank God i was soooo busy that i didnt have time to think/worry about it, so had it on Friday pm, my plan was to recite jingle bells to myself thru it all and hadnt even got the first sentance finished before he'd done it - couldnt believe it wasn't painful and was much easier than my 3 month blood tests!!!! - however i didnt know i would be in pain afterwards!! - could hardly use my arm for 24 hours pins and needles and numbness! - and a few days the joint pain is still there - whats going on - does this mean it hasnt worked???

Not due to go back until a month!!!!

advice please!!!!!!!!!

xxxxxxxxx

salamander

lottiefox wrote:

Hi all,

Just a question about the cortisone into the knee - those that have had it, does it help with swelling and pain? After being brutally told my knee needed major surgery at the weekend I'm researching all other options and it does seem that logically, something to get the swelling down and moderate the pain so I can get back to Physio properly might be logical - before Doctor Chopper demolishes my entire leg!! I'm not too fussed about injections (don't like them but if they help then I'll cope) and I used to have a steroid into my bum for severe hay fever when I was a teenager and that worked like a dream. I know thats not joint based but my body clearly liked it!!!

Is there a risk it can make matters worse? I know long term they can't be repeated too much, and you can get a flare for a day or two but can they make things seriously worse? :?

I'm such a worry-pot!!

Thanks,

Lottie xxx

PS And when you have one, do you have to rest afterwards or can you walk about? e.g. to catch a train or get a taxi etc?!

Hi Lottie, when I had mine they aspirated the fluid so the swelling went down quickly. I don't know how soon the injection worked as I had a systemic one as well but that was 4 months ago and I have substantially less pain (though am on oral steroids as well for my other joints.) I would say it is worth investigating. Good luck!
Sally

page35

lynnemarie wrote:

Hi All,

thanks for your comments,

I went to see my gp who said that Physio wouldnt have any effect at all on me and the only way to have any relief would be to have a injection and physio afterwards, I explained I was a wuss (he said he knew!! - i suppose it is on my records) and booked me in for 2 days afterwards! - thank God i was soooo busy that i didnt have time to think/worry about it, so had it on Friday pm, my plan was to recite jingle bells to myself thru it all and hadnt even got the first sentance finished before he'd done it - couldnt believe it wasn't painful and was much easier than my 3 month blood tests!!!! - however i didnt know i would be in pain afterwards!! - could hardly use my arm for 24 hours pins and needles and numbness! - and a few days the joint pain is still there - whats going on - does this mean it hasnt worked???

Not due to go back until a month!!!!

advice please!!!!!!!!!

xxxxxxxxx

Hi
when i had injection in hand it took about 5 days till it started to feel better and felt worse for about 3 days, so yours may start to work soon, hopefully
i am a needle wuss too :oops: , have passed out a few times, hate the blood tests i have to have them every month
hope it works, i think give it a week then maybe call them for advice, if its no better
take care