Steroid Injections MAY Worsen Joint Damage/Pain

jaminhealth

I believe this to be so true.

https://www.nhs.uk/news/medication/steroid-injections/

Lilymary

This 2019 NHS article includes the statement " this study has too many limitations to form any reliable conclusions. Large-scale, long-term studies are needed to give us an accurate picture of the possible risk of joint damage after injections."

The NHS haven't updated their guidelines on steroid injections since September 2017 (review due this month, but given the covid-chaos, who kinows when that will happen). We will watch with interest whether any further studies have been carried out and what will be the results.

frogmorton

Reading the article thoroughly no-one seems to be sure whether the worsening of joint damage was due to the injections or would have happened anyway it could even have started happening prior to the injection.

Very misleading headline I think.

I hope 'they' do some sensible research including before and after MRIs on a large number of people and find out if this really is the case.

jaminhealth

There is so much info on the damage from long term steroids and I hear it from an MD every week on his radio program. MANY have ended up with damaging https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/avascular-necrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369859

I hear of many people who end up with this horrible damage from steroids.

I didn't realize there was such a divide in thinking about this damaging condition dealt with around the world.

[text edited]

Text edited by YvonneH Admin Language is potentially inflammatory and directive

YvonneH

Hi

People in the UK who are on prescribed steroids are carefully monitored with the dose reduced and stopped as soon as possible. There are times when using steroids is essential in the wellbeing of members/patients for a variety of reasons.

The site you reference is based in the USA and not really relevant to the UK.

Steroids are not authorised for sale to the public - although they will no doubt be available online or from other sources, this community is not in that group and therefore they will not be vulnerable in that way.

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stickywicket

I don’t think there’s much of a ‘divide in thinking’. I think most of us who have had need for steroids from time to time recognise them as seductive little monsters which can con us into thinking all is well when (a)it is far from so and (b)other things will go wrong if we become dependent on them.

However, used sensibly, under close medical guidance, for the shortest time possible (which can sometimes be quite long) they have their time and place and fulfil many very useful tasks. I think that would apply to most medication.

Also, re the injections, we are limited as to how many / how often, presumably to try to avoid such damage. I've had mixed results with them in the past.