The Truth about Steroid Shots and Their Danger to the Joints

10 June 2017
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Category: Blog
10 June 2017, Comments: 0

Millions of Americans suffer from arthritis pain in the knee. This health condition is uncomfortable and often debilitating, especially over time. Steroid shots like corticosteroid injections have been used for many years to combat knee arthritis, but new research just uncovered exactly how ineffective steroid shots actually are. In fact, it turns out they do more harm than good!

What Are Corticosteroid Shots?

Cortisone shots are designed to minimize the symptoms of pain and inflammation brought on by arthritis. They can be used in any joints, like the ankle, elbow, hip, shoulder, and wrist, but they are most known for applications in the knee.

Why Are Steroid Shots Dangerous?

In a recent study led by Timothy E. McAlindon of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, researchers studied a total of 140 people with symptomatic knee arthritis. Half of the patients received steroid injections in their knees every 12 weeks for 24 months, while the other half only received placebo shots of saline on the same schedule.

Despite the extensive use of steroid shots as a treatment for those with arthritis, the research results actually showed that the shots caused a greater rate of cartilage loss in the knees over a two-year span than the placebo shots did. These results are very concerning. Why would patients want to treat their arthritic joints with a substance that will cause accelerated degeneration?

The Better Solution

Though the above study is troubling, the good news is that medical centers like the Regenerative Orthopedic Institute in Tampa, Florida now offer patients treatment methods for arthritis that not only alleviate symptoms of pain and discomfort, but actually trigger cartilage growth and help the joints heal and become stronger. These non-surgical therapies like platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections harness the body’s natural healing potential and make recovery possible without surgery or steroids. Call (813) 868-1659 to make your appointment at Regenerative Orthopedic Institute now!

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