Cortisone shot in LE shoulder?

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crystalphm
crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
edited July 2015 in Lymphedema

I have to have a cortisone shot in my LE shoulder due to tendinitis and rotator cuff pain, has anyone else had a cortisone shot in an LE arm? Good idea, bad idea?

I am also seeing my LE specialist who is doing physical therapy to help me (not going well as far as pain is concerned, pain is the same if not worse) and will ask him also.

Thanks so much. Denise 

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited June 2015

    I have had two cortisone shots in my LE thumb. My LE is in my arm, trunk and breast. It has gone to my hand on a couple of occasions, but I work really hard at keeping it out of there, so far, so good. But the shot did not seem to affect the LE in that arm one way or the other. The shot was a tremendous relief for me, after it quit hurting like hell!! Ouch!! They really clean the site up before and after, so that is the greatest danger, just to have a skin opening. Good luck, and I hope it helps!

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited June 2015

    I did. Twice.

    I was in a lot of pain and I really needed it.

    However it was before my LE started and I always wondered if it was the wrong thing to do. All this started sadly in PT and a special nurse lead exercise class for breast cancer survivors at MSK.

    Kira or Binney pointed out that not moving your arm because it is in pain is not ideal either, so the shot may be worth it.

    (By the way I have had other injections in the arm with no problems, a lot of them, but that is another story.)

    My frozen shoulder problem was a long journey. I could not drive for a summer, and had to work up slowly. It really took a year and a half to get better. (Which was just what my physiatrist predicted.)

    I now drive up to 3 hours, not a lot more though. I have learned to live with a slightly restricted range of motion.

    Swimming did help a lot. I think it did what PT could not.

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited June 2015


    HI , I had cortisosone shot in my shoulder and neck due to other issues and they made a world of difference. My doc also adds steroid (kenelog) to the shot which helps reduce inflammation. You may want to see if they can add that too.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited June 2015

    crystal, I think that since pain provokes lymphatic response, getting the shot to relieve pain is smart, even if there's some temporary flare up from the injection. But thinking of cortisone--an anti-inflammatory, no? --I'd think that the LE flare-up, if any, should be minimal.

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  • crystalphm
    crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
    edited June 2015

    Thank you so much for your thoughts everyone...I really appreciate you helping me. It makes me feel calmer about going to the ortho doctor also.

    Carol, I wonder the same thing too, since I was diagnosed with LE after my shoulder pain began, did it cause LE? I will never know, but I do know I won't do anything to make LE worse.

    I still will be reading if someone else has experience with cortisone shots.

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited June 2015

    Crystal may actually be a pharmacist, guessing from the "phm" conclusion of her screen name so she already knows this but clarification of terminology may help someone else. 'Cortisone' is often used as a general description for anti-inflammatory steroid medication.

    Kenalog is one of the brand names for triamcinolone. That agent Is the active ingredient in several topical creams/ointments as well as inhalation and injectable dosage forms. My hand doctor treated the trigger finger on my nonLE side with a shot of TMC earlier this year which seems to have cured it


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  • crystalphm
    crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
    edited June 2015

    Just an update. My LE / physical therapist feels a cortisone shot is the wrong thing to try at this time. He feels my LE has only been stable since Christmas, so a deep puncture is not a good idea, yet. He is going to try ionto phoresis using cortisone or dexamethasone. A machine sort of moves the molecules into your joint. I will let you know how this goes. He is also using a tens machine on me and he says it won't cause LE to flare, and it has not. So the steroid injection will be the last possible avenue taken.

    No, I am not a pharmacist, just an artist, former teacher. Thanks all for your help! 

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited June 2015

    Crystal, glad the PT is on top of it. I have had that kind of shoulder pain a couple of times since my surgery. Apparently it is pretty common after MX. I hope the PT starts helping soon, because it should help even if it takes a while. I got rid of mine both times by stubbornly stretching it and working out with it.

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  • Kalypso2005
    Kalypso2005 Member Posts: 20
    edited June 2015


    Momine, I finally looked you up!  I see you are doing a lot of good on-line.  I have just started posting again on-line.  Take care and I hope your hubby is feeling better!!

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  • donsuzbee
    donsuzbee Member Posts: 129
    edited July 2015

    My experience with cortisone injection turned into cellulitis with 4 day hospital stay.

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  • crystalphm
    crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
    edited July 2015

    Thanks again to all who are helping. The ionto-phoresis is irritating my skin but no LE problems.

    The therapy is going to take longer than expected, I still hurt, but it is not as bad as it was.

    I am avoiding the shot as well as the surgery.

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