C. Noel Henley, MD

Hand and Upper Extremity Specialist

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Injections

Steroid Shots

Steroid, or cortisone, is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication that is commonly injected by orthopaedic surgeons to treat painful conditions of joints and tendons.

Cortisone is a hormone that fights inflammation and is produced by your body. Cortisone shots can be used to treat some conditions permanently (trigger fingers can be cured by a single injection) and give temporary relief in others (an injection in an arthritic joint may improve symptoms for a few months).

The steroid medication is mixed with a local anesthetic mixture (lidocaine and marcaine). This decreases pain and also helps me confirm my diagnosis – if the painful area is not significantly better by the time you leave the office after an injection, the medicine is most likely not in the right place!

Side Effects

Risks of injection are small and rare, but may include allergic reaction, skin color changes, skin dimpling, and increased temporary soreness after the injection.

Many patients worry about cortisone or steroid side effects. You must distinguish between systemic steroids (pills) and local (injection in a small area) steroids. Systemic steroids can have significant side effects, especially if taken for long periods of time. The amount of steroid injected locally is usually so small that the systemic effects are almost zero.

If you have swelling and pain after the injection, try ice packs and resting the hand/arm for 12-24 hours. Call us if this does not improve your symptoms. If you were given a splint, wear this as much as possible after the injection to rest the involved area.

I would not recommend an injection unless I thought the benefits outweighed the risk of soreness and skin changes.

 

Patient Comments

Mr. Donn Lenihan, of Rogers had this to say recently when I asked him how he felt after his steroid shots:

“It’s way better – I don’t even think about my symptoms anymore. I’m 85-90% better.”

Linda Ewing, also of Rogers, said this after a recent injection:

“It has helped tremendously – I’m about 80% better.”

EDUCATION PAGES

click on the links below to start learning:

  • arthritis: base of the thumb
  • arthritis: osteoarthritis
  • carpal tunnel syndrome
  • trigger finger
  • ganglion cysts
  • tennis elbow (epicondylitis)
  • wrist fractures
  • cubital tunnel syndrome
  • deQuervain's tendonitis
  • elbow fractures
  • olecranon bursitis
  • fingertip injuries
  • hand fractures

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Call our office today at 479-521-2752 to make an appointment with Dr. Henley

Featured Articles

Mallet Finger Injury

“my finger doesn’t work”“my finger is bent”“my finger won’t straighten”“my finger is drooped” These are several of the most common things I hear when patients come in with a mallet finger.  A mallet finger is the name for a ruptured (torn) tendon at the tip of the finger. A tendon rupture is where a tendon […]

Bad Thumb Arthritis – What Does It Look Like?

The video below shows a patient’s thumb moving back and forth. As you’ll see, most of the range of motion is at the MP (metacarpophalangeal) joint. This is abnormal – in a normal thumb, the majority of the motion is through the CMC (carpometacarpal joint, at the base of the thumb). When the CMC joint […]

Forearm Fractures In Kids – What Parents Need To Know

Bones in children are different from bones in adults. They break differently and they respond differently to injury. Some fractures occur both in adults and kids – some fractures occur only in children. Forearm fractures occur in both, with some important differences. This article will cover some of the basics of forearm fractures in kids. […]

Fingertip Ganglion Cysts – Mucous Cysts

The most common tumor in the finger is a ganglion cyst. A ganglion cyst is simply a fluid-filled sac. It can be visible from the outside or buried deep underneath the skin. Sometimes it causes symptoms like soreness and pain; other times patients have no idea it’s there. What is a mucous cyst? Ganglion cysts […]

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