If you’re experiencing inflammation and pain, you may have heard of steroid injections as a possible treatment option. While they can provide quick relief, there are also potential risks and drawbacks to consider. In this article, we’ll explore what steroid injections are, how they work, their pros and cons, and alternative treatment options that may be worth considering before deciding on this course of treatment.
What Are Steroid Injections?
Steroid injections can be a great way to treat plantar fasciitis and other inflammatory problems–but they might pose additional issues, especially when dealing with tendinitis, and repeat injections, especially in patients with diabetes
What do Steroid Injections Do?
Steroids can help decrease inflammation and eliminate pain, however; depending on your current activity level, health status and location of pain or discomfort, they might not be the best treatment option for you.
Before injections are considered, it’s important to consider alternative treatment options to address the underlying issues. Some of these options can be as simple as lifestyle alterations. Including stretching and strengthening exercises. If you’ve carefully consulted your health provider, sometimes steroid injections can be a viable option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quick procedure, and can be done in office | May not fix underlying issue |
| Typically covered by insurance | Can elevate blood sugar |
| Nearly immediate pain relief | Weaken nearby soft tissue, such as tendons and ligaments |
| Reduces inflammation | Can be a painful injection |
| Can potentially return to normal activity sooner | Skin irritation |
Possible Outcomes
Some other modalities that have helped our patients reduce pain, inflammation, and return to work, sports, and everyday activity sooner include:
- electric stimulation
- therapeutic ultrasound
- extracorporeal pulse activation therapy
- taping, and
- orthotic casting and shoe modifications
Conclusion
Ready to explore your options? We can help! Our board-certified doctors and medical assistants will be happy to assist you in any way we can.
