Understanding Steroid Supplement Injections
Many people are probably wondering about the legalities of steroid supplement injections. The thing you need to understand is this is not referring to anabolic steroids which are used for testosterone replacement or an increase in the natural hormone created in men's bodies. What it is referring to are corticosteroid injections that are medically used to treat inflammation. Here is some information about the use and benefits of this type of medical treatment.
Uses
Inflammation in the joints causes swelling, pain, and stiffness. Steroid injections help to ease all these symptoms so you can move around more easily. The injections are given right into the affected joint. The most common areas for this include:
- Knees
- Wrists
- Shoulders
- Ankles
- Elbows
- Back
- Hips
They work to help the problems that arise from gout, tennis elbow, trauma injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis.
In addition, chronic diseases like lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, and multiple sclerosis that affect the immune system can also be helped with supplemental steroid injections.
Injections
While it is possible to use oral or topical corticosteroid supplements, injections work faster, last longer, and do not have the same side effects. An injection ensures that the right amount of the medicine reaches the area of concern whereas oral steroids go throughout the body and topical applications cannot guarantee how much is actually absorbed. In order to receive the benefits from a pill, you would need to take a lot more of the medication, increasing the chance of side effects like high blood pressure, mood swings, and an upset stomach. Another reason for the injections is that you do not have to take or use them daily or even multiple times a day. Most injections will provide relief for multiple weeks.
When exercise and weight loss have not helped your pain and improved your ability to utilize the affected joints enough to keep you active and enjoying life, you may want to talk with your doctor about steroid supplement injections. They can be especially beneficial if you have a special event approaching and you want to be able to enjoy it without having to resort to a strong pain killer. Keep in mind that using prescription pain killers can result in addition and/or the need to keep increasing the dosage. In addition, these injections can give you relief as you wait for a more permanent solution such as joint-replacement surgery.
For more information on steroid supplement injections, contact a health professional today.