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Cortisone Injections & Knee Injections  If you have been suffering from persistent or debilitating knee pain, you should consider asking your doctor about the possibility of a cortisone knee injection. Whether your knee pain is from an injury, most types of arthritis, bursitis, or even an unknown cause, an injection of cortisone may be able to provide you with effective and long-lasting relief. Here is more information about cortisone knee injections, including the risks and potential benefits. Causes of Knee Pain Chronic, or lasting, knee pain can have any number of causes. Perhaps you twisted your knee during a run or game of football. Maybe you have just begun an exercise programme, and your knee is giving you persistent trouble. You could be suffering from an episode of gout, tendinitis, or arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or psoriatic arthritis. A cortisone knee injection may be able to help with pain control in each of the above cases. Along with pain control, a cortisone injection may also assist with swelling, heat, and redness in your knee. Before proceeding with a cortisone knee injection, your physician may first ask you to try more conservative measures. These efforts include applying ice to your knee, giving your knee a few days of rest, and using non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. What is a Cortisone injection? Cortisone is a synthesised hormone. While it is similar to the cortisol hormone produced by your body, cortisone has an anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation can occur when your body is sick or injured and causes swelling, increased temperature, reddened skin, and pain. Inflammation is the result of a hyper-reaction in your immune system. In other words, your immune cells attack healthy cells instead of harmful microorganisms. Cortisone inhibits this immune response. When administered by a physician, cortisone is generally safe. However, some side effects are possible, especially with repeated and prolonged use. These side effects include increased susceptibility to infections, puffiness of the face, increased blood sugar levels, bone integrity problems, and damage to nearby cartilage. What Can You Expect from a knee injection? If you and your doctor decide together to proceed with a cortisone knee injection, you can have the injection in your doctor’s office. Your physician will clean your knee and inject the cortisone into the appropriate location. The cortisone often contains an anaesthetic to minimise pain from the injection. Your doctor may use an x-ray to help guide the injection. Follow your doctor’s aftercare instructions precisely. They may recommend icing your knee, and they might want you to follow up in a few days or to collect blood samples. You will likely notice relief from your knee pain in as little as 48 hours, and the effects can last for several months. It is important to realise that cortisone injections cannot be given too often due to potential side effects. Generally, your physician will limit you to an injection every few months. Also, while cortisone is often effective for pain control, it will not resolve the underlying cause of your pain if your discomfort is due to a factor such as osteoarthritis or a major injury, like a torn knee meniscus. Your doctor can recommend more definitive treatments for these conditions.