Dr Mark Porter: Can a steroid injection help osteoarthritis?
Our medical expert on the best way to deal with osteoarthritis in the knee.
Image credit: Anna Kövecses
Our medical expert on the best way to deal with osteoarthritis in the knee.
I have quite advanced osteoarthritis in my right knee, but the specialist I saw wasn’t keen to operate due to my other health conditions.
She suggested a cortisone injection. It worked well for a few months but is now wearing off. Can I ask my GP for another?
Some people with arthritic knees find steroid injections (cortisone) helpful, but there are downsides.
Every time you have the injection there is a small risk of infection or bleeding, and they can, in some people, accelerate bone and cartilage damage.
Plus, there is a potential risk of the steroid leaking into the rest of your body, where it can cause other problems, particularly raising blood sugar levels in people with diabetes - although this normally settles within a week.
But how many is too many? That depends on the individual and their circumstances. In your case, for instance, it would seem that surgery is not an option, so you may have to rely more on the injections than most people.
But as a rough guide, most doctors try to wait at least six weeks before repeating an injection, and try to limit them to no more than three in a year.
Also, you may be able to help yourself. Lots of people with painful knees tend to limit their activity, understandably, but too much rest weakens thigh muscles (the quads), which can aggravate symptoms.
So, it is important to try to keep active and maintain strong quads.
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital has a guide to the sort of exercises that may help.
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