Cortisone Shot - Right Shoulder

[Wrobo]

I received a cortisone shot today in my right shoulder. I should have asked more questions at the doctors and paid closer attention, but I was in a hurry.

My shoulder has been bothering me. The x-rays show some arthritis. To confirm this and nothing more, the doctor recommended a cortisone shot.

As the doctor said, initially I was relieved of pain. However, again like he said, I will experience some pain and soreness for the remainder of the day.

My question is, at what point should my shoulder feel better assuming it is just arthritic pain?

[Jean-Paul]

Do you have medical confirmation on the arthitis, or is it just "arthritic" in the sense that you have some crud in there that causes pain and limits motion?

Cortisone can help sometimes, but done too often (more than twice in a year) can lead to degenerative joints. Just make sure that you lay off of it for at least the next week, and when you get back into lifting, do so under the guidance of a PT so you can address what is causing the pain, or else you will be right back in that doctors office inside of two months and he will be suggesting surgery.

What city do you live in? Maybe you have a good ART practicioner in your area. If Bill chimes in, he knows a lot more about that kind of stuff.

[Wrobo]

Thanks for the response. The only confirmation I have is from the doctor who studied the x-rays. He is a sports practitioner.

My shoulder has been bothersome for some years now, but nothing intolerable until most recently.

In the past the pain would subside after 3-4 days rest, and I would go back to lifting. The pain would only be present when doing pushes, which I have eliminated for the most part.

The most recent pain was reaching across my body and reaching above my head. Ice and IBprofun have helped a great deal. I'm in Boston.

[Bill Hartman]

Go see Bill Brady. He's one of the better ART guys around. Also try to track down Dale Buchberger. Also a superior ART guy but THE MAN when it comes to shoulders.

Bill Brady is in Boston at http://www.softtissuetreatment.com/

Bill

[Tinman66]

I had a similiar problem with my left shoulder. Years of weightlifting and pushing to real heavey weights took a toll on my shoulder. I went through the cortisone shots and had to take it a step further. I recently had surgery for what they call Acromioplasty. The doctor took about an inch of my collar bone out as it was coming in contact with the clavicle bone. At my last appointment the doctor feels I am ahead of the curve on recuperation. Any questions feel free to ask.

[Marykaa]

The only thing I can say about Cortisone shots (have had about 7 in 3 different joints (2 shoulders, one elbow) over about 10 years..) is that they hurt very much for a few days after the shot. The last 2 times, I was told to move my arm even during those days (but not much) before that.. I was always told to rest the arm.. after about 5 days my original pain was completely gone each time.

I have no experience for arthritis cortisone shots.

good luck [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Anubis]

cortisone shots would most likely be given for pain associated with inflammation. Corticosteroids such as cortisone work in that way (as an anti-inflammatory). Which is why the ice and ibuproferin is working for your pain, because they too are anti-inflammatory measures.

How often do you get the shots and do you have arthritis in all your joints?