Cortisone injection

[suuay]

Today my Dr. told me he wants to try a cortisone injection directly into my hip joint. I'm having this done tomorrow 03/20/2012 at 1:30 P.M. Central time. He said if it doesn't help with the pain , he'll do a RTHA. My question is how long does one of these injections last (short-term to long-term)? I told my husband that I'll only let this happen once. I've heard lots about the bad things that happen with corisone. Any news appreciated.

Suuay

 

[Jaycey]

suuay, it's very hard to predict how long an injection will ease the pain. Everyone reacts differently to these things. Sometimes they do nothing and sometimes they are what is needed to get things settled.

Have you had an x-ray already? Certainly an injection will not correct any issues with bone degeneration in the joint. However it will decrease any swelling in the area.

Please do let us know how it goes tomorrow! All the best and fingers crossed for you!

 

[suuay]

I've had X-rays and a MRI. All of which show ostoarthritis. The Dr. said he wants to make sure the pain is from my hip and not somewhere else before he'll do a THA. All I have is Medicare and my husband just went back to work after being without a job for 3 1/2 yrs. So, is this shot going to help me or am I just going to be out the money and have to have a THA anyway?

Suuay

 

[Josephine]

Quite probably. It seems some surgeons are loath to trust their own eyes and ears! Of course some of the pain is going to arise from the spine as a bad hip makes the person limp or tip their pelvis to accommodate it. The best you can hope for is a temporary respite from the pain, maybe a couple of days or a week.

My question would be are you sure this is the best surgeon for you? Have you asked him some key questions like how many hip replacements he does per year and what is his infection rate? You should read this to make sure you arm yourself with these leading questions to make sure you have a really good chap! How to choose a surgeon and a prosthesis

 

[suuay]

I had my injection today. First shot wasn't as bad a honey bee sting. Second shot curled my toes. When the Dr. injected the last shot, the steroid, I felt like someone had just pushed a baseball into my hip joint. That was almost eight hours ago. I have bruising about the size of a quarter at the injection sites and the baseball is still there. Not much pain unless I'm up on my feet more than 10 minutes, otherwise just a lot of pressure.

Suuay

 

[DallasSarah]

hello Suuay,

Did they use an xray machine while the need went in so they could watch the needle go into the right muscle. There was alof pressure when my dr's wigglled around a little. I had 3 injections last year the 2nd was excellent the others were not so good. I had read the effectiveness of the injections will get weaker and weaker in tiime.

All the best,

Sarah

 

[Jaycey]

Suuay, glad that's overwith! Doesn't sound fun - but then I hate needles! Rest and ice that angry area. Sometimes it take awhile for those injections to work. Let us know how you are getting on won't you?

 

[LabMomma]

Sorry I didn't see this thread before. I got the cortisone injections done under the machine that shows the doctor where to thread the needle into the joint space (fluoroscope I think). I probably had that done 4 or 5x over 1 1/2 yrs, several months apart.. trying to put off hip replacement until I could lose weight. It takes almost a week for the cortisone to fully reduce the inflammation in the joint.

The injections always helped me tremendously, although for shorter and shorter intervals each time. Just an FYI, I believe you have to wait at least 4 months after the last injection before having hip surgery.

Hope it helps!

 

[Josephine]

shows the doctor where to thread the needle

No, no! He has a scrub nurse to do that!

 

[lizbec]

Hi there, little late - but just to add.... following arthroscopy in June 11 which sorted out various impingements etc , the pain from the arthritis became more severe. I was given injection last November. For 6 weeks it was magical! after that it decreased a bit and I had mild pain for another 2 months. 5 months on, I am having nothing like the pain I had back then but enough to sustain a heavy limp and to experience quite a few sleepless nights due to stubborn pains going down leg.I still know I have a problem but it is good to be out of the severe pain and debilitating situation.
Best of luck and heres to your "ongoing" pain free (or much less) year!

 

[Jamie]

Lizbec.....have you considered having a THR on your hip? You might at least discuss this option with a surgeon. You know, it's not good for your hip nor the rest of your body to continually walk with a "heavy limp."

 

[calmom51]

I would like to know whether it's OK to get a cortisone injection into the joint, as well. I have read that if you inject cortisone a number of times, it will actually make the joint (any joint) deteriorate more/faster. I am only considering getting one shot to help me get through the summer.

 

[Josephine]

That's a bit of a myth. If you were using real cortisone as in oral prednisolone, then it certainly can. But the intra-articular stuff they used is Methylprednisolone which is synthetic. Read this article more more information Cortisone shots - is there a limit to how many and are they safe?

 

[kjac95]

Just my 2 cents but, I only had hip pain since last May. During the ensuing months, I had 4 hip injections under fluoro. With the cortisone completely gone in my hip joint, my Orthopod was not concerned with preserving the joint so my injections were somewhat closer...say 8 weeks apart. I never really had pain relief with the injections but I always managed to recover my ROM which made me stop limping quite as badly. The last injection was 5 weeks prior to my THR with the approval of my OS. Anything less and the OS would not have approved.

Kathy
LTHR 03/26/12

 

[navyvet92]

IThe cortisone injection did'nt work for me at all,as amatter of fact the Dr tried using the cortisone injection twice and it failed both times, it only worked at best, for about 3 weeks when our hope was 6~8 weeks i think that was the deciding factor to do the surgery( one of many deciding factors) i wish you the best in whatever decision you make i know its not an easy one.

 

[calmom51]

What is the difference between what a cortisone injection would do, versus hyralaunic acid (or however you spell it, sorry)?

I understand that cortisone is an anti-inflammatory. Hyralaunic acid is a joint lubricant (??) When would you get one versus the other?

 

[Josephine]

You are correct in your description of the two treatments. It's an either/or situation that the doctor chooses. He could try one and see if it works. If it doesn't maybe try the other. Neither are a cure, just a band-aid type of treatment and usually very temporary.

 

[calmom51]

Actually, the doctor yesterday told me that he would inject cortisone, lidocaine, some other numbing stuff, AND the hyalaunic acid into my joint. So I guess sometimes they do both at the same time.