07 Apr  Struggling with Shoulder Pain or Low Back Pain

 Struggling with Shoulder Pain or Low Back Pain
Been told that you “failed” therapy for your Shoulder Pain or Low Back Pain, so now you need to have a cortisone injection 

Here at My Favourite Physio, we often meet patients who have been told that if they “fail” Physiotherapy, their doctors will send them to have Cortisone Injections. Like all treatments, Cortisone Injections have benefits and side effects.

Here are the facts about Cortisone Injections:

Cortisone is a type of steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which is commonly injected under ultrasound to target the areas of inflammation such as tendons and joint spaces in the Shoulder joint or Lumber Spine joints.
Cortisone is thought to work by reducing the inflammation in the tendons and nerves to reduce pain.
Because the Cortisone is delivered directly into the area of inflammation, Cortisone injections work more quickly than oral medications to manage inflammation and pain in the specific joint targeted.

In theory, that sounds great, right? However, in reality, it doesn’t always work. For some people, the Cortisone Injection itself causes more pain than their actual pain itself. The main problems with Cortisone Injections are, it does not treat the actual cause of your Shoulder Pain or Low Back Pain, so after the Cortisone wears off, the Shoulder Pain or Low Back Pain returns. Frequent and repeated Cortisone injections can also cause tendons and ligaments to weaken over time, which can lead to a higher risk of tendons and ligaments rupturing! 

However, Cortisone Injections when used in combination with Physiotherapy can provide better outcomes, because the Cortisone can reduce inflammation and pain to allow a “pain free window” where the initial cause of the problem can be addressed by Physiotherapy. 

So If you have an injury and are wondering whether you should have a cortisone injection or Physiotherapy or maybe perhaps you have tried cortisone and found minimal relief for your Shoulder pain or Low Back Pain, why not ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio to speak to one of our Expert Physiotherapists today!