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Thread: Cortisone shots

  1. #1
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    Default Cortisone shots

    Had a crook shoulder for a year (bursitis and small tear in the supraspinatus tendon), tried anti-inflames (one was terrible Strongest Voltaren, knocked me rotten).

    6 months ago went to a different GP, who ordered a ultrasound (found the above conditions), he then said a Cortisone injection MAY help, i said yes (sleep was very interrupted from the pain).

    He gave me the 2 injections, pain receded for 2 weeks but came back, tried Celebrex - limited pain reduction.

    Went to the Physio, who gave me a range of stretches to do - they did fook all after 3 months of trying.

    Went back to another GP who said if you had Cortisone shots why wasn't it done under Ultrasound - yer right how the fook am i mean't to know that!

    Update, had the Cortisone shot under Ultrasound, feels a lot better, sleep is still interrupted but its only 3 days since the needle.

    Moral of the story, Cortisone should be done under Ultrasound for Bursitis.

    Funny one, i'm sitting there waiting for the Jab and the "Jabber" starts swabbing the opposite shoulder, i said NO its the other shoulder - Oh she says, that's why your here, to remind us - , the paper definitely says which shoulder it is!

    Stevo

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  3. #2
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    I have had problems with both shoulders, one op on the left to fix the tendon and I then decided that as the right was not such an issue it could be lived with. I subsequently had a second op on the left because the pain returned after about two years and was still there after the second op. Before the second op and during the final consultation the doctor wanted to give me a cortisone injection and after a fairly robust few minutes of me telling him where he could stick his injection if he so wished he admitted that it only had a low chance of working anyway. After the second op and still months of pain I finally spoke to a physio who knew what he was talking about and by chance mentioned that I had pins and needles down my arm and into my fingers. He twigged straight away that the pain was caused by problems in my Thoracic spinal region and sorted it out. Periodically it returns and I have a bit of physio and that sorts it out. I used to work in an industry that stuffed a lot of shoulders and I never saw cortisone permanently solve any of them and there are complications that don't get mentioned in the fine print. Apparently if an op becomes necessary there has to be a long period between the last injection and the op and also there is a limit to the number of injections that can be given. I have since concluded the second op was not necessary as the pain was clearly caused by problems in my spine.
    CHRIS

  4. #3
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    In my case I was referred by my doctor to a specialist to be given an injection under ultrasound in my hip. Didn't feel a thing. The doctor said that it would hurt a bit when the anaesthetic wore off but it never did.

    The result was brilliant; I suddenly became aware of the fact that I also have bursitis in my other hip. After 6 months the injection wore off and I went for another one. This time it was a different doctor administering the injection under ultrasound. It was very painful. There was no anaesthetic and the pain never went away.

    I am about to get another shot and I have had my doctor specify on the referral that the second "specialist" is not to do it.

    It just goes to show that, like woodworkers, not all doctors are equally competent.

  5. #4
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    I let myself get talked into a steroid shot once, never again. If anything it made my shoulder worse. Fortunately my problem resolved with careful physiotherapy.
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

  6. #5
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    In my experience cortisone is a waste of time never did me any good, an op would put me out of action for six weeks can't have that so just living with it, I may cave in one day

  7. #6
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    A medication one should be very respectful of...side effects can be devastating...MM
    Mapleman

  8. #7
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    I think Cortisone is the go to fix all for some doctors and I don't play that game as he found out, I had heard and seen too many bad results from it. Orthos tend to be a bit dogmatic in my experience and he could not believe that a patient would disagree and refuse his advice and treatment so it was an interesting few minutes of discussion. The problem with shoulder surgery to repair the Supraspinatus tendon repair is that it takes at least 12 months to recuperate from what is a fairly minor op and for me at least had a huge impact on my ability to do my job. Seeing that my job had caused it they had to go along with that and find me other things to do. In the end I was on permanent light duties which worked out well for both them and me but mainly them as I filled a position no one else wanted.

    I ignored it and suffered for at least 10 years but the pain eventually wore me down as it does everyone else but then I could not take anti inflammatories due to other health issues. What was interesting was I had a fall and it fired up the rotator cuff in my right shoulder in a big way but coincidentally I was put on oral steroids at the same time for my Ulcerative Colitis and the shoulder quickly settled down due to the constant drip feeding of the steroids.
    CHRIS

  9. #8
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    I've had so many steroid shots I'm sure I'm full now: Shoulder, elbows twice, wrists twice, thumbs, lower back four times, cervical spine four times (once had 18 shots in one hit). The only one that actually worked was the one for lower back.

    Doctors will tell you there is no cumulative effect, I've found that to be wrong. First one in my lumbar only provided a little relief for a short time, each successive shot provided a little more relief that lasted a little longer. The last one I had was in 2006, never needed another. Never had a shot without ultra sound, I wouldn't trust anyone to do the shots without, some can't even get it right using ultra sound.

    I'm the opposite, I won't allow a physio to touch me, they tend to cause to many problems.

  10. #9
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    There are good Physios and bad ones just the same as doctors or even mechanics, I wouldn't go near a Chiropractor for a bet where some people swear by them.
    CHRIS

  11. #10
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    I had a crook shoulder. Tried weeks of physio and a cortisone injection (under ultrasound). Neither did any good. Finally had an operation and all went well. Full mobility after a couple of weeks physio but still some pain after 5 months. Had another cortisone injection and all pain was gone in a couple of weeks. Golf was good - even won the weekly comp in a field of 125 by 4 shots. About five months down the track some pain is back. I think I will need another injection soon. It seems that everyone is different. Just need to try options that are available and get a good Specialist.

    Cheers
    Mike

  12. #11
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    Default so right

    Have to agree with Physio;s, years ago i had thoracic problems (still there) from a neck injury, one old Physio was brilliant, I felt so good after he "popped" the joints, using my body weight as the lever, not jumping on the joints.

    Since he moved on, not so lucky. In the country its very "hit and miss".

  13. #12
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    I have arthritis in both knees, the right one is the worst.
    saw a specialist last year, he said you have bone on bone, ( I knew that, the constant pain told me ) picked up a model from his desk looked like a bit of stainless steel said we will put one of these in your knee.
    I said when and he said there is a 4 year waiting list.
    I saw him again last week and said I have to be moved up the list.

    he wrote something on a paper an said take that to xray dept

    today I had a cortisone injection using an ultrasound machine, I asked the ultrasound guy if they all work and he said about 80% reported improvement

    and a small number didn't work at all he also said if it works i can probably get 3 a year.

    both the doctor administering the injection and the guy on the ultrasound machine couldn't believe there was a 4 year waiting list.
    The doctor said why didn't you go to the city, I said mate that's where I started.


    now hoping I see an improvement in the next few days
    Cheers Fred



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  14. #13
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    Had issues with my hand as a result of a motorcycle accident. Ortho that did my knee reco sent me for a cortisone shot using an ultrasound. That was about 5 years ago now, all is still good and pain free.

    The key with doctors and specialists (and physio's) is you need to find good ones. After my knee reco, I was having problems. Phsyio worked on it for a couple of months then said I need to go back to the ortho. Ortho looked at what the physio said in his letter, took it on board and sent me off for an MRI. Ortho said he relies on what the pyhsio's say for info, and never disregards what they say. Physio got it right, there was a problem (3 in fact), a cyclops lesion on the ACL replacement and a fat pad impingement. MRI also showed issues with a meniscus tear. Another surgery and all was good until I ran into a kangaroo on the highway doing 110kph!

    The physio I use must have been physio number 10 I reckon. For you Brisbane folk, his name is Tim Cartwright. Only problem with him is he works for the Broncos and Norths (or did), so its hard to get an appointment with him now. Last time I was there he was only working a couple of days a week in his practice. Ortho was Andrew Patten. Cortisone shot was administered in the CBD, a place upstairs somewhere near the corner of Albert and Queen streets from memory.

  15. #14
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    I developed bursitis in the left shoulder about 10 years ago. Using my arm below my shoulder was OK, I just couldn't lift my left arm above shoulder height without it being painful. I don't know if this was the cause but a few days before the pain started I did strain that shoulder while disconnecting a dingy on a trailer from vehicle.

    Tried two physios who prescribed similar exercises that didn't seem to do much and even started getting bursitis in my right shoulder. Then I tried a steroid shot in my left shoulder and I asked the doc how long before I should feel any improvement and he said about a week but it may need a second shot in about 3 months time, meanwhile he prescribed complete rest of the shoulder which was like asking a two year old to sit still.

    Nothing happened pain wise for about two months after the shot. Meanwhile I had built and has started using a chainsaw mil with a small chainsaw and over about a two mont period after that the bursitis in my right shoulder went away?? The left shoulder was still painful and stayed that way until about 6 months later when I started chainsaw milling with a much bigger chainsaw and the left shoulder pain slowly went away over 12 months!

    I'm not suggesting any of these factors are necessarily connected, I'm just relaying what would seem at first glance to be a contradictory sequence of events. The bursitis in my left shoulder might have gone away quicker if I had gone back for that second shot, but I reckon it probably just went away by itself.

  16. #15
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    Doctors will tell you there is cumulative effect with steroid shots. I had five lots years ago in my lumbar spine, first did nothing, second provided a little relief, the next a little more and the fifth made a huge difference. That was around 2000-2005, prior to these shots I couldn't squat, couldn't hold any weight in front and was always hurting my back. I've not had any problems for the last 15 years, I can squat and very rarely hurt my back. Now whether this is due to a cumulative effect or from the different injection points I don't know, but my back is a lot better. I've also had shots in my thumbs, wrists, elbows, shoulder and cervical spine, once had 18 in one hit. The only response I got was from the elbow shots. Could be due to the fact my elbows are completely shot, nothing between and surfaces are so badly worn an arthroscopy won't help. Steroid shots depend on the person and where the shots are placed, from my experience at least.

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