What happens when I get a cortisone shot?
A healthcare provider may give you a cortisone shot during a normal office visit. Or they might schedule a separate visit for the injection.
Your provider will insert a needle into the area that needs treated and inject cortisone (a steroid). They might use an ultrasound to guide the injection needle.
Do cortisone shots hurt?
A cortisone shot might sting when your provider puts the needle into your skin, but it shouldn’t cause intense pain. Your provider might give you a local anesthetic to numb the area around the injection site.
Tell your provider if you experience fear or anxiety about getting shots. They’ll help you relax and feel more comfortable about receiving a steroid injection.
What does a cortisone shot do?
A cortisone shot reduces pain and inflammation in the area around where your provider injects it.
Inflammation usually happens when your immune system sends cells to fight infections or heal an injury in your body. Your provider will inject cortisone into the part of your body that’s experiencing inflammation. The cortisone calms your immune system’s response in that location. This reduces pain and inflammation.
Does a cortisone shot affect the whole body?
Your provider will inject cortisone directly into the area of your body that’s experiencing inflammation. This will deliver the dose of corticosteroid right where it’s needed.
The steroid medication will circulate through your bloodstream and can affect other areas of your body. But these systemic effects are usually so small that you won’t notice them.
