What Is A Steroid Shot Used For?
Steroid shots or Cortisone Shots are injections that are given to individuals for chronic pain in a specific area of the body. These shots help with pain relief and calm down the inflammation. The most common areas where a Steroid Shot is injected are the joints of the body like the knee and the hip, although they also provide pain relief in the shoulder, wrist, ankle, and elbow. However, a cortisone shot is used maximally for low back pain or pain down the spine.
A Cortisone Shot consists of a steroid medication and a local anesthetic, and a combination of these two blocks the pain that the patient is experiencing. A steroid shot does not require the patient to stay in a hospital. It can be done at the doctor’s clinic only. However, because of a significant side effect profile, physicians generally limit the steroid shot to not more three per year.
Apart from treating chronic pain, a steroid shot can also be used as a mode of treatment for various medical conditions like bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and plantar fasciitis.
Can A Steroid Shot Make You Gain Weight?
The answer to this question is, Yes. Weight gain is one of the side effects of having steroid shot for a long period of time. Generally an individual is given two to three steroid or cortisone shots per year for fear of side effects; however, in some cases of acute pain and little pain relief from other modes of treatment physicians may give a few more steroid shots which when done persistently may lead to weight gain. The weight gain may not be significant in some cases whereas in some cases an individual can gain quite a lot of weight.
Therefore, it is always recommended for individuals undergoing steroid or cortisone shots to decrease their calorie intake and exercise more diligently so as to burn more calories in order to prevent gaining significant weight as a result of the cortisone shot.
In case if an individual undergoes steroid shots regularly then it is recommended that the individual sticks to a low fat diet consisting of fish like salmon, legumes, green vegetables, and calcium rich foods like soya products along with calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Additionally, the individual needs to have a high fiber diet like whole grain breads along with low energy foods like fruits and vegetables so as to prevent gaining weight after having steroid shot. Avoiding soft drinks and drinking lot of water also helps in preventing weight gain after steroid or cortisone shot.
Also Read:
- What are Corticosteroids?
- Epidural Steroid Injection: Efficacy, Side Effects, How is ESI Done, Medications Used, Who Should Avoid ESI
- Pain Caused by Steroid Withdrawal: Symptoms, Remedies to Cope Up With Withdrawal Symptoms
- How Long Does a Cortisone Shot Last & What are its Side Effects?
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