A cortisone shot uses the drug corticosteroid and hence it is a steroid injection. The drug mimics the effects of cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal gland in the body. They interact with the white blood cells of the immune response and help in reducing inflammation, redness, heat as well as swelling of a joint or the soft tissue surrounding the joint.
The cortisone shot is administered to individuals who are suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, tendon nodules, tendonitis or bursitis.
The administration of the shot is generally painless, and in most cases it is administered along with local anesthesia which helps reduce the pain further. In most cases, when the shot has been administered along with local anesthesia the individual may feel immediate pain relief due to the effects of the anesthesia, however, this is only temporary and will disappear after half an hour.
The cortisone shot starts to take effect after one or two days. For most individuals it has been seen that at least 2 to 3 shots need to be administered before any benefits of the shot is observed. However, it is not recommended that you get this shot administered to you often, since it can have certain harmful effects. Thus, the number of times a cortisone shot can be administered to an individuals, at a specific location of the anatomy is limited to 3 or 4 times a year.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is important to report this information beforehand to the medical professional who will be administering the shot to you.
Additionally, individuals who suffer from diabetes should also be cautious when they are being administered this shot since it can increase the level of blood sugar in the body.
Individuals who have been prescribed medication such as blood thinners are also generally asked to avoid being administered a cortisone shot. Before you are administered this shot it is important for you to make sure that your medical professional is informed about the different drugs that you may be prescribed and how this shot will interact with them
What are the Allergic Reactions to Cortisone Shot?
A cortisone shot uses the corticosteroid drug; before you are administered this drug it is important to find out whether or not you are allergic to this drug.
For this, it is also important for you to be aware of the risks of being administered cortisone shot since not all of these are allergic reactions but merely a side effect of being administered this shot.
Firstly, in order for the cortisone shot to take effect, it may take several days. If no effect has been observed even after two to three weeks, then another shot is administered. It generally takes two to three shots before an individual is able to notice any positive effects of the drug.
A side effect of the drug is cortisone flare which may cause the pain in the region where the drug is being administered to become more heightened. This effect only lasts form one or two days and it is usually resolved after the cortisone shot starts to show its beneficial effects.
Another side effect may be the infection of the joint which is a common side effect for all injections that are administered to a joint. If you notice excessive redness, swelling or pain in the joint it is important that you report it immediately to your medical professional.
Thinning of the skin as well as discoloration and loss of fat around the area where the drug has been administered is also a common side effect of the drug being administered to the individual. In some cases, this might be permanent.
Prolonged side effects of this drug include weight gain, insomnia as well as increased water retention. However, these side effects are not very common and are not allergic reactions to the drug.
Allergic reactions occur when the immune system of the body reacts inappropriately to the drugs that are being administered to the body or certain types of food. In some cases, the reactions can be quite severe.
Allergic reaction to the shot may include anaphylaxis. In such case, immediate medical treatment should be sought out. The symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
- Hives
- Swelling of the lips, face and/or throat
- Difficulty in breathing
Such an allergic reaction may cause severe health risks to the individual and needs to be reported immediately.
A passive patch test is helpful in determining whether or not an individual is allergic to the corticosteroid drug. This test should be administered before the actual drug is administered to the patient in order to make sure that they are not allergic to the drug. Although for most steroid drugs it is common to have cross allergy among corticosteroid is common, many patients who are allergic to one type can be administered another to help treat their symptoms. Corticosteroids are often also used to treat the inflammation that is associated with allergic reactions.
Some individuals may also notice the appearance of acne or the drying of the skin. You should inquire with your medical professional to find out whether or not these are allergic reactions to the drug.
Some other symptoms may include vision problems, which make it difficult for you to see or be able to focus on any particular objects.
A headache, as well as dizziness and nausea, are also common when it comes to a cortisone shot and should be reported to your medical professional in order to determine whether or not they are allergic reactions to the drug being administered to the body. Some patients may also experience increased sweating as a reaction to the drug in the cortisone injection.
In most cases, allergic reactions to as the corticosteroid drug are rare since it is just a synthetic version of the cortisol hormone which is naturally produced by the adrenal gland in the body. Thus, allergic reactions to the cortisone shot are very rare and not commonly observed in patients after it has been administered to them.
If you have been administered this drug before being tested for allergy it is important for you to talk to your medical professional to see whether any changes that are taking place will be harmful to your body. It is also important for you to stay informed about some of the side effects of being administered this drug so that you can differentiate between any allergic reactions and any side effects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a cortisone shot is usually quite safe to be administered to individuals since it is a drug which mimics the effects of a hormone that is naturally produced by our body. Hence any allergy to this drug is quite rare and uncommon. A passive patch test where a non “live” version of this drug is administered s actually quite helpful in determining whether or not you are allergic to the corticosteroid drug. Although it is common for individuals to have cross corticosteroid allergies, most people can be administered another version of the corticosteroid drug if it is truly required by the individual to help treat certain symptoms.
Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction to the drug which requires immediate medical attention. You must report it immediately to your medical professional if you see any of the following symptoms: hives, difficulty in breathing or respiratory problems, swelling which can occur in the face, lips, and/or tongue and make it even more difficult for you to be able to breathe
Some symptoms may include vision problems that can make it difficult for you to be able to focus on any objects. You may also experience a headache or dizziness. Nausea has also been reported by some individuals while some have also reported increased sweating after the drug has been administered to them. In such cases, it is important to immediately report it to your medical professional in order to understand whether or not it is a side effect or an allergic reaction to the drug.
The drug is generally used to treat the inflammation as well as welling symptoms that are associated with diseases such as osteoarthritis as well as rheumatoid arthritis. It can also be used to treat tendon nodules, tendonitis as well as bursitis. Sometimes this drug is used to treat the inflammation which is associated with allergic reactions.
If you are being administered this drug, it is important for you to first have a discussion with your doctor in order to determine the side effects of this drug. It is also important for you to make sure that this drug is being administered to you by a trained medical professional in a hospital or a clinic where the surrounding as sufficiently sanitized. In order to prevent an allergic reaction, it is important for you to also make sure that the needle which is being used to administer the drug to you is new as well as sterilized.
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