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How Long Does Cortisone Injection Take To Show Effect?
Question: I had a cortisone injection for ischial bursitis. I have some relief but not completely gone. How long does it take to work
Brief Answer:
At most within a week, failure to get relief, see your doctor for reevaluat
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
Cortisone is a steroid and acts by reducing inflammation. The duration of time taken to work or for persons to feel some relief depends on factors like:
- the intensity of the drug injected
- The intensity of the infamation in the person
- The sensitivity of the person to the drug (some persons react faster than others).
Generally, the individual should have some relieve as from the 2nd after injection. The inflammation or pain reduces progressively. Concrete relief is usually experienced as from the second week.
Depending on the clinical response, your doctor might decide either to repeat it, stop it or replace this with a drug that can be taken orally.
Response to treatment is followed up based on how your feel (swelling and pain especially) and at times with the aid of some blood tests like the erythrocyte sedimentation rate that actually measures the degree of inflammation.
I think you should be getting some real and clear cut relief before the second week after the injection is given. After the second day however, some change should be noticed. Failure to notice change can be due to maybe the quality of the drug, the dosage which might require to be increased, decreased sensitivity with specific persons. Generally, with little patience, within a couple of days you should.
If this fails, say after a week, you might need to be reevaluated by your doctor.
Thanks and kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
At most within a week, failure to get relief, see your doctor for reevaluat
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
Cortisone is a steroid and acts by reducing inflammation. The duration of time taken to work or for persons to feel some relief depends on factors like:
- the intensity of the drug injected
- The intensity of the infamation in the person
- The sensitivity of the person to the drug (some persons react faster than others).
Generally, the individual should have some relieve as from the 2nd after injection. The inflammation or pain reduces progressively. Concrete relief is usually experienced as from the second week.
Depending on the clinical response, your doctor might decide either to repeat it, stop it or replace this with a drug that can be taken orally.
Response to treatment is followed up based on how your feel (swelling and pain especially) and at times with the aid of some blood tests like the erythrocyte sedimentation rate that actually measures the degree of inflammation.
I think you should be getting some real and clear cut relief before the second week after the injection is given. After the second day however, some change should be noticed. Failure to notice change can be due to maybe the quality of the drug, the dosage which might require to be increased, decreased sensitivity with specific persons. Generally, with little patience, within a couple of days you should.
If this fails, say after a week, you might need to be reevaluated by your doctor.
Thanks and kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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