Steroid injections for pain relief – how long do they last?

March 9, 2010 — admin

I had a steroid injection into my shoulder for a problem with bursitis. I got immediate relief that lasted about a week. Now my symptoms are starting to come back. How long do steroid injections usually work?

There aren’t too many studies just on the duration of pain relief with steroid injections into the joints. Results range from one week as in your case up to 13 weeks.

It’s clear that steroid injections work better than placebo injections with saline solution. And studies show that some steroids work better than others. Long-term pain relief may require a higher dose of the steroid.

In some cases steroid injections are used to control pain and reduce rehab time after arthroscopic surgery. In a patient with recurring bursitis there may be other factors such as posture and overuse to be addressed. The injection may help calm the joint enough to work on improving alignment and motion. Combining physical therapy with steroid injection may be one way to improve overall results.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Is it possible to have bursitis of the knee?

February 24, 2010 — admin

Is it possible to have bursitis of the knee? I’ve had shoulder bursitis. Now my knee is acting up much the same way.

The bursa is a fluid-filled sac placed between two structures to help cushion friction during movement. Usually it’s located between a tendon and the bone. The bursa cushions the tendon as it moves over the bone. Sometimes there’s a bursa between two ligaments.

In bursitis the bursa gets inflamed. The patient has pain mostly on movement. The most common cause is repeated motion. Arthritis, infection, and injury can also cause bursitis. Bursitis occurs more often with aging as the bursa becomes thinner and dried out.

Problems with bursitis occur in the feet, hips, knees, shoulder, and elbows. There are several bursae around the knee joint. Kneeling is a common cause of one type of knee bursitis. This is sometimes called housemaid’s knee. Another type of bursitis occurs most often in people who install carpet, but anyone can get bursitis of the knee.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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What is “water on the knee”?

November 13, 2009 — admin
What do people mean when they talk about “water on the knee”?
This usually describes pre-patellar bursitis. This is when fluid builds up in the bursa sac that lies in front of and below the kneecap. The front of the knee may look like a goose egg.

There are also conditions when the knee joint itself fills with fluid. A joint capsule encloses the bones of the knee joint. When the capsule fills with fluid, it may give the appearance of “water on the knee.” This can happen with problems like arthritis or infection.

An injury to the structures inside the knee can cause bleeding and swelling to fill the inside of the joint. In these instances, there will be fullness in the tissues of the knee, rather than simply a goose-egg appearance in the front of the knee.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com. 

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How did I get adhesive capsulitis – a frozen shoulder?

September 25, 2009 — admin
My doctor diagnosed my tight shoulder as “adhesive capsulitis.” What is this, and how did it happen?

 
Adhesive capsulitis, also called “frozen shoulder,” is a condition in which the shoulder becomes tight and painful, making it difficult to do daily activities.

With frozen shoulder, inflammation in the joint causes the lining surrounding the joint to stick together. This causes the shoulder to “freeze” and seriously limits movement.

It’s hard to say how you got a frozen shoulder. Most cases can’t be traced to one event. One theory is that this condition is caused by an auto-immune reaction. An auto-immune reaction happens when the body’s defense system, which normally protects it from infection, mistakenly begins to attack the tissues of the body.

A frozen shoulder may arise gradually, with no injury or warning. It sometimes happens to people who’ve had past shoulder problems, such as rotator cuff tendonitis or bursitis. Others are affected after surgeries unrelated to the shoulder–even after heart attacks. The condition likely results when pain or inflammation in the shoulder causes a person to start using the shoulder less, setting the stage for a frozen shoulder.

 
The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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