Has anyone ever had cortisone injections in their knee or other joints?

Have chronic pain and went to see a very good knee surgeon today, who looked at my MRI and said it was inconclusive. It seemed that their might be a problem with my meniscal cartilage.

He’s recommended having a cortisone injection in my knee, and says it could solve the problem.

Has anyone ever had one of these and what do you think of them? Don’t really understand at the minute how it can fix things.

I had one in my shoulder last September, unfortunately I noticed no benefit at all.

Elbow. Several (12?) years ago. I was offered the injection after various other options failed. It was bloody painful at the time but it fixed the problem and it has never returned.

I had one in my hip last May. Ouch at first, then a noticeable relief from the pain when coupled also with anti inflamatories, I was prescribed Naproxen. A medic has advised me that the effects of the steroids will wear off and then will be need to be re-done up to possibly a maximum of four times before they no longer have an effect. Each injection supposedly works for 6 weeks or so. I am going for my second one very soon.

I will need a new hip in the next couple of years by the sound of things 🙁

Had one round my collar bone good few yrs back after a bike related break. Two years after accident kept getting dull numbing pain , Doc said I had deep inflammation still there & suggested injection. Worked a treat for me, shoulder was sore for a day but it seemed to cure the problem forever.

Cortisone the drug is an anti inflammatory steroid it’s catabolic (beaks down) as opposed to anabolic (builds). The injection will be around or into the inflamed site and the idea is it just eliminates the inflammation & pain.

Aye, had loads in my knees ( psoriatic arthropathy) best advice I can give is if you have one,rest the knee for at least 24
hours. The act of resting will prolong the effects of the injection by a significant margin often measured by months.
All the best

Same as scotroutes . Had one in my right elbow 3 years ago , hurt like **** for a couple of days but all good since

1 in the shoulder 6 in the foot 2 under x-ray to get right between the joints. Only 1 ever felt really sore the following day.

Our horse has had it in her knees and it fixed lameness/stiffness 🙂 £££ though!

Had quite a few in my shoulders, not nice. Very long needle which was worked into/near the ball and socket. No help at all.

I’ve given loads.
Doesn’t hurt me at all…

DrP

I never even felt the one in my shoulder

Into the AC joint in the shoulder, never even felt it. And I was poo-ing my pants as a nurse was called to hold me still following a “this is really going to hurt and you’re not going to like me for several days” warning from the surgeon. Masses of pain relief and the reduced swelling made the joint a lot more “stable”. Recommended.

I thought that was cheating?

Yep, in my knees, quite a few years ago. worked a treat.

No harm in trying, but i had 3 in each knee for illiotibial band pain and didn’t do anything. The injections didn’t particularly hurt. Had the bands cut in the end which solved the problem

Missus had it twice in the shoulder for bursitus. It really helped her on both occasions. I sat and watched the last one. Jeez. Glad it wasn’t me

Had knee meniscus tear. Didn’t even get offered injections. Had a arthoscopy done and was fine a month after surgery. Full weight bearing on day 2.

Have injections in my shoulder for Sub Acromial Impingement and they work. They last about 2/3 months. 48 hours post injection it’s sore though.
Not sure if they will give me another though as I’ve had three.

Had a couple into shoulder joints. Both were very effective at giving chronic injuries the necessary kick to resolve themselves. Neither hurt but the grinding sensation as the needle worked its way in was a tad unerving.

2, 10 years apart in lower spine*… Very good at allowing me to get on a do the strengthening work necessary to relieve the pain longer term. Only my stupidity and over confidence meant is was necessary the second time… But the second time I did get a nice x-ray of a huge needle somewhere in my lower back…

* may not have been cortisone, but would have been something very similar.

i once heard that david beckham thought a cortisone injection was a car, and he wanted one!

got my 3rd one in my ankle in a couple of weeks, can’t wait for the pain relief 🙂

My wife is struggling with a Morton’s neuroma in the foot and this has been suggested as an option. I was always under the impression it was temporary pain relief by reducing inflammation but it is interesting to hear some problems appear resolved even though other experiences are a mixed bag by the sounds of it!

I had one in my coccyx 😯 😯 and it hurt like…. didnt work for me but he said its 60% chance so may have to go for another

Depends on how advanced the underlying condition is. Had several in my elbow, reduced tendon inflammation but the damage was still there
Day case op, job done

I now read that there’s limited evidence to support their use for tennis elbow, sigh!

Evidence for elbow injections in tennis/golfers elbow (the usual thing we do them for) is that the early outcome is better, but long term outcome is worse – so we don’t do them much anymore.

Knees – debatable in the absence of an inflammatory arthritis. Shoulders can be really good as can fingers(experts only – not me) and some other joints.

I am not sure I know of any knee problem which a single injection could solve…

Thanks for all this guys. That is why this place is great.