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Cortisol & Joint Pain

When an individual is suffering from acute or chronic joint pain, a shot of cortisol or cortisone may provide relief. Both cortisol and cortisone are steroid hormones. Cortisol is the stronger of the two hormones. Cortisone is less effective, but still works for many. Cortisol is considered a metabolite of cortisone or an inactive derivative of cortisone that can be converted to cortisone if needed.

  1. Effects

    • Cortisol increases glucose and glycogen amounts in the body, according to Elmhurst College in Illinois. Cortisol and cortisone are used to treat joint pain, which is often the result of joint inflammation.

    Expert Insight

    • The Mayo Clinic explains that cortisone shots are most frequently given in the hand and foot joints. Cortisone generally consists of a combination of a local anesthetic and a corticosteroid medication. Many patients find great relief from joint paint after receiving an injection.

    Identification

    • Cortisol is also called hydrocortisone. Cortisol is considered a typical corticosteroid, which is the main hormone secreted by the adrenal gland located on top of the kidneys. Your body produces cortisol naturally, which keeps your blood sugar high when you haven't eaten for a long time or in response to an allergic reaction. Cortisol is also produced when you are under stress.

    Composition

    • The synthetic version of corticosteroids is often stronger than what your body naturally produces. The injections reduce swelling, itching, redness, allergic reactions and are effective in treating both acute and chronic pain.

    Risks

    • There are risks associated with getting an injection of this nature, including bone death, which is called osteonecrosis; nerve damage; joint infection; weakening or rupture of a tendon; thinning of the skin at the site of the injection; and a temporary flare-up of inflammation and pain in the joint. The bone at the site of the injection may thin and the skin around area where the injection was given can lighten or even become white.

    Limits

    • You can only get a limited number of cortisone shots because too many injections will lead to deterioration of the joint's cartilage. Those suffering from non-inflammatory conditions or from osteoarthritis are generally limited to four cortisone shots per joint, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis, you can get one shot per joint per month.

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