Corticosteroid Injections

What Are Corticosteroid Injections?

Corticosteroid injections are commonly used in pain management to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in joints, the spine, muscles, or around nerves. They are often part of a broader treatment plan for both acute and chronic pain conditions.

Why They May Be Recommended

Your pain management provider may recommend a corticosteroid injection if you have:

• Spine-related pain (such as neck or low back pain)
• Joint pain (such as shoulder, knee, or hip pain)
• Nerve-related pain (such as sciatica or radiculopathy)
• Inflammation causing persistent discomfort
• Pain that has not improved with medications or physical therapy

How They Work

The injection delivers a corticosteroid medication directly to the source of pain—often near an inflamed joint, irritated nerve, or spinal structure. By reducing inflammation and swelling, the injection can help decrease pain and improve function.

Benefits and Considerations

Potential benefits:

• Targeted pain relief at the source
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved mobility and ability to participate in therapy

Things to keep in mind:

• Pain relief is usually temporary (lasting weeks to months)
• Not all patients experience the same level of relief
• These injections are typically limited in frequency for safety reasons
• Best results often occur when combined with physical therapy or other treatments

Common Conditions Treated in Pain Management

• Arthritis (joint or spine)
• Herniated or bulging discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Sciatica (nerve pain)
• Bursitis
• Tendonitis

Related Pain Management Treatments

• Nerve blocks
• Physical therapy
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
• Medications for pain and inflammation