What is cortisone and how do cortisone injections work?
Cortisone is a form of steroid. This type of steroid is a very strong anti-inflammatory — which is why it is usually successful at alleviating the pain associated with tendonitis. Cortisone has certain risks associated with it and should be used with caution in many people. Talk to your doctor about whether a steroid injection is appropriate for your shoulder pain. Cortisone is not useful for treating mechanical sources of pain — such as a labral tear or a SLAP lesion. If a repair of the rotator cuff is planned, an injection is not advisable because it may delay or prevent healing.
Cortisone is a form of steroid. This type of steroid is a very strong anti-inflammatory — which is why it is usually successful at alleviating the pain associated with tendonitis. Cortisone has certain risks associated with it and should be used with caution in many people. Talk to your doctor about whether a steroid injection is appropriate for your shoulder pain. Cortisone is not useful for treating mechanical sources of pain — such as a labral tear or a SLAP lesion. If a repair of the rotator cuff is planned, an injection is not advisable because it may delay or prevent healing. Recently, there has been a significant interest in using PRP, or Platlet Rich Plasma injections instead of cortisone — but research into this continues.
