If you're looking through this post, you're seeking answers to the long-running pain issues to see if you will be able to get relief from pain today, and avoid the need for a knee, hip, and shoulder replacement or find some relief until you are able to have an orthopedic joint replacement. It's a long journey through the course of degenerative diseases and you might have been told that joint replacement was the last resort in the road for you, however, it's not the answer you were seeking.
This article examines the traditional treatment involving cortisone injections that results in the necessity of surgery even sooner in the future. We'll show new research of steroids, including disturbing findings that say:
We will examine the latest research questioning:
"Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections in the Hip and Knee: Perhaps Not as Safe as We Thought?"
Here's an outline of the article:
Thankfully there are almost no PRP CONTRAINDICATIONS, PRP dangers, or almost no stem cell therapy side effects, as long as the provider only uses platelets and stem cells from the patient themselves. However, that much liquid being injected in a tight space still hurts a lot. Ozone is a gas, which is hardly painful, it reduces the risk of infection, and it costs much less than PRP or stem cell injections, so we lean towards it for the majority of our patient population.
If you're already seeking treatment alternatives that go beyond cortisone of what a pain doctor near me has suggested, contact us today about Ozone Injections that help tissues regenerate, reduce pain, and actually help in injuries and arthritis.
It is possible that the increased number of knee and hip replacements is directly a result of corticosteroids being injected into these joints.
Corticosteroids, like prednisone and cortisone are harmful to the healing of soft tissue and bone. Corticosteroids inhibit vitamin D, restricting calcium absorption through the gastrointestinal tract , and increasing the excretion of calcium from the urinary tract. Bone also exhibits a decline in calcium absorption, eventually leading to weakening of the fibro-osseous junction, increasing rates of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures of the bone caused by accidents or falls. Corticosteroids can also block production of Growth Hormone, which decreases the soft connective tissue as well as bone healing. In the end, corticosteroids cause damage and decay in ligament, bone and the strength of the tendon.
Corticosteroids hinder the production of collagen, proteins and proteoglycans within cartilage of the articular region by inhibiting the production of chondrocytes, which are the cells that form the cartilage of the articular. The catabolic effect (weakening) by corticosteroids results in a decrease in collagen production by fibroblasts as well as angiogenesis (new blood vessel development).
The title of the study mentioned above "Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections in the Hip and Knee: Perhaps Not as Safe as We Thought?" found from an October 19, 2019 date publication by the medical journal Radiology provides as its main points the following:
Adverse effects in cortisone injections
In other words, it's back to the title of their article: Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections in the Hip and Knee: Perhaps Not as Safe as We Thought?
A paper published from the Radiological Society of North America in the publication Radiology has the following important details:
Cortisone is not likely to result in immediate joint destruction for all people. Though if you're here reading this blog post there’s a high chance you've been treated with cortisone in the past and are seeking alternatives.
The fact that more research is surfacing on the harmful consequences of cortisone injections should be an alert to medical professionals about the risks of corticosteroids. The risks associated with cortisone injections are well acknowledged in the research. However, in the rush of health medical professionals and patients to feel immediate relief, the risks of steroids are usually accepted as a part of the treatment in the sense of "let's manage the pain until the patient is in need for joint replacement treatment."
Cortisone is a treatment that can be beneficial for a short time, but can increase the severity of the problem and the joint in the long-term.
The concept that cortisone may cause harm isn't an easy proposition for certain researchers. Corticosteroid injections are used in patients for extended periods of time in family medicine, orthopedics, and pain management provider offices near me. Their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties have made it an everyday practice across the general medical profession.
Corticosteroid injections have been shown effective at reducing the pain and inflammation caused by ligament injuries over a period of up to 8 weeks. However the same anti-inflammatory properties can lead to destruction of the cartilage and other soft tissues. In simple terms, the body heals through inflammation cortisone can reduce the healing process and inflammation by disrupting three distinct phases: proliferative, inflammation and remodeling.
In essence, healing occurs in stages. The first phase, the inflammatory-repairing phase, sets the foundation for the other phases of healing including repairing and remodeling connective tissue. This inflammatory healing phase is greatly affected by the treatments chosen which include injecting steroids, as well as NSAID treatments like Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Celebrex (celecoxib), diclofenac, mefenamic acid, etoricoxib, indomethacin, aspirin in 325mg or 81mg form, naproxen, Ketoprofen, voltaren, and toradol Mobic (meloxicam), Advil Nabumetone Motrin, etodolac and Midol to mention several. These drugs can hinder or speed up the healing process. Anti-inflammatories slow down and block the initial phase of healing, which can cause acute injuries to become chronic.
Another group found that patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis, two months treatment with intra-articular triamcinolone steroids in comparison to intra-articular saline led to significantly larger loss of cartilage volume and no significant differences regarding knee joint pain.
In the same way, cortisone can be effective or increase the severity of the problem..
In February of 2020 , a review study titled Medical Reversals in Family Practice: A Review, published in the journal Current Therapeutic Research, Clinical and Experimental showed:
While cortisone and surgery are routine, randomized trials have failed to establish their efficacy.
Cortisone can make bone-on-bones more prone to injury by thinning the meniscus.
One of the main reasons you're thinking about the possibility of a knee replacement or contemplating an injection of cortisone and searching at alternative options to surgery for knees is that you've been told that you have a bone-on-bone knee. Therefore, the notion that cortisone could cause this to get worse because it thins out the meniscus is a concern to doctors who know these risks.
In August, 2020 in The journal Scientific Reports doctors voiced concern about the possibility of damaging meniscus tissues using cortisone injections. It is important to note that the main finding was that it was safe to receive only one cortisone shot. These are the main lessons from the research:
In December, 2020 a study that was published within the medical journal Rheumatology offers an overview of the controversy surrounding the use of cortisone to treat knees considered to be bone on bone. The following are the key points of the research:
Going back to the study of research:
Secondary adrenal insufficiency, which requires a homeopathic endocrinologist near me to treat the cause of the insufficiency.
Researchers at the University of The United Kingdom publishing in March 2022 in the journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Studies investigated whether corticosteroid injections are related to secondary adrenal insufficiency for adults suffering from musculoskeletal pain.
Here are the main learning points of this study
The injections into the spinal canal caused the most anxiety, with the authors requesting for further research to determine whether age or sex affect the risk of secondary adrenal insufficiency.
The pain can not only limit one's satisfaction with life, it also causes stress to the body. Stress is the most detrimental factor for well-being. When a person is stressed, it activates "fight or flight" response and the adrenal gland starts excreting hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
The adrenal glands on top of the kidneys, produce cortisol in order to increase the number of blood white cells activated in the case of infectious or allergic stress. The body is "on alert." Chronic discomfort causes your adrenal glands to stay in an ongoing "alert mode," secreting cortisol in the event of an illness or when someone is being victimized. If chronic pain continues to linger, cortisol levels are constantly elevated. Even the best endocrinologists near me struggle to help their patients with stress. The levels of cortisol are believed to decrease at night and when putting the body into the state of sleep.
The adrenals also release adrenaline, which is more appropriately referred to as epinephrine. It is the hormone responsible for stimulating the sympathetic nerve system. Do search for a functional endocrinologist near me to help you. The release of this adrenaline constantly triggers the body to produce free radicals that cause oxidation damage in the body. Chronic pain can cause long-term damage to the body's oxidative system. This is one reason why those who suffer with chronic pain suffer more often and are aging early than their chronological age. This could also be the reason why they appear "stressed-out." Where I am from “Pain Doctors in Lincoln” NE are great at medication management, steroids, and surgery, but is there an alternative? Yes, Read on.
Cortisone impedes the natural healing process and damages joints that are not native to them.
Cortisone and other anti-inflammatory medications, as well as other medications for inflammation and the RICE protocol “rest, ice, compression, and elevation” was recently retracted by its author because of its negative impact on healing. All of theses are classified as "non-healing modalities," and whose use over the long term will only increase the severity of the condition.
Recent research by researchers at the Mayo Clinic says cortisone can hinder the natural stem cells of cartilage. (Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the primary building elements of cartilage, as well as muscles and skeletal tissues.) Cortisone interferes with their innate ability to regenerate as a substitute for short-term analgesia. There was a direct correlation between increased steroid concentration and increased chondrocyte apoptosis (or cartilage decay and death)
It is a mystery that these drugs continue to be injected into joint joints "therapeutically" for pain. Although corticosteroid and analgesic injections can temporarily alleviate discomfort by reducing the body's inflammatory processes, they are harmful for cartilage cell growth and healing. The results of bovine cartilage research at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine identified the following: There was a direct link between an increase in levels of steroid in the blood and an increase in apoptosis of chondrocytes (cartilage death) and also an increase in the toxicity of chondrocytes (cartilage poisoning) in the course of exposure to the methylprednisolone. The addition of lidocaine methylprednisolone substantially increased the frequency of chondrocytes dying.
The research released in the journal Clinics of Orthopedic Surgery by French medical doctors and published in Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery should suffice to convince any person that cortisone causes healing of stem cells. Patients seeking treatment from doctors who insist on cortisone first should investigate this decision.
It's the same message again and agin - when injections in joints, corticosteroids do not just cause death of cartilage cells but also block healing through their natural mechanism of action that is to block the immune system and prevent inflammation.
Cortisone injections are associated with risks, side effects and the toxicity of tissues.
However, despite the findings that has been conducted, the first visit to a “pain doctor near me” or “orthopedic doctor near me” is typically a recommendation for cortisone. After doctors began using cortisone as well as other steroids to treat knee pain in the 1950s researchers noticed a significant problem with joint degeneration. This led to the denial of the injection of cortisone. Today, despite the risks, cortisone is still used as an acceptable standard of care.
This is the effect of cortisone in the body:
A positive effect on joint pain may also be associated with accelerated joint destruction.
What the research suggests:
Injectable Steroids Side Effect could lead an area to infections as it decreases immune system function. This is why patients with chronic wounds are at risk of infections every time they are given high dose steroids Patients have also complained of extreme muscular burning, pain, and tenderness following a cortisone injection.
Researchers from The University of Toronto warmed about the issue of infection from traditional injections using steroids.
Intra-articular hip injections with corticosteroids as well as hyaluronic acid can be utilized in order to manage hip arthritis. While the sterile method is advised to prevent infiltration of the joint by microorganisms that are typically found on the top of your skin, there is a chance of infection. (All injections could have the potential of causing infection, including injection techniques using dextrose, PRP (platelet rich plasma) and stem cells, where risk of infection is negated when using Ozone into tissues as this is a natural antibacterial and antiviral gas.
Here is the difference - Patients prior to surgery for a hip replacement generally receive corticosteroids injections into the hip and Hyaluronic acid to help manage their pain prior to surgery. Injections consisting of corticosteroids and hyaluronic Acid could increase the possibility of infection because of the immune system suppression from the cortisone.
In the case for total replacement of the hip the preoperative administration of a hip injection can increase the risk of infection that could result in the need for an early revision surgery. Although the researchers were unable to determine what agent was injected into the joints prior to surgical procedures, they found that most probable treatments included corticosteroids and hyaluronic acids without or with the use of a local anesthetic.
Since hyaluronic acid does not have any evidence-based benefit for hip osteoarthritis it is probable that the majority of the injections were corticosteroids.
If this is the case, there will be a duration needed for the results to be "cleared" before a hip replacement can be implanted safely in the joint after steroid injection. No matter the type of solution that is injected intra-articularly, injections expose the joint to the external environment and can lead to bacterial infection without the use of a natural protectant like ozone. More research is needed to determine if the increased risk of infection that follows steroid hip injections is different based on the solution that is used (corticosteroids and hyaluronic acids).
So what if cortisone is recommended to you until you ‘are in need of a joint replacement’, what are your options?
At One Natural Health our solution is to repair the spine or joint, reconstructing and healing damaged tissue using Regenerative injections. This can be accomplished with Ozone along with B vitamins and natural anesthetics which resets the nerves.
Ozone makes a prime environment for healing white blood cells to reach the area of injury and form new tissue, which strengthens ligaments and repairs soft tissue. When the ligaments are tightened and soft tissues recover, the knee joints perform normally instead of subluxing and slipping out of alignment. When the knee is functioning normal, swelling and the pain most often disappear
When Ozone is injectable into joints, it increases Leukocyte growth (an immune system cell which absorbs and helps get rid of tissue that is diseased) as well as macrophages. The term "macrophage" comes taken from an ancient Greek that means "Big Eaters." They consume debris and damaged tissues within the joint.
Ozone helps to bring oxygen to joints for healing cells energy and a clean, safe work environment to heal.
In 2017 a stem cell study (stem cells are the native cells within the body that aid in helping to repair tissues that are damaged) The study by Dr. Ming Pei of West Virginia University published an article in the medical journal Biomaterials states that adult stem cells could be a viable source of cartilage-regeneration cells but they can have a tough time working in a tough joint space when hypoxia (the absence Oxygen) and inflammation have resulted in an unhealthy environment for stem cells to function in.
Like we said, stem cells that heal need a clean and safe working environment. The process of chronic inflammation gradually causes a depleted oxygen level in joints. Oxygen deprivation is intended as a quick-fix treatment to heal a wound. However, chronic inflammation can lead to gradual strangulation of the joint cells.
We often forget that the cells in our body get their energy through aerobic metabolism also known as the Krebs Cycle. The most important substrates or compounds required to support aerobic metabolism are glucose and oxygen. The body breathes in order to obtain oxygen, and we eat food to break down carbohydrates into sugar. Even if one consumes protein, eventually the body will find the means to break proteins into amino acids, and then to glucose. Without glucose, cells and the body are unable to survive.
In short, while cortisone shots can weaken an injured area further, Regenerative Injections stimulate the body to heal it. Ozone boosts circulation of blood to the region as well as collagen synthesis, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen production. The decision is easy, the cortisone shots that can result in proliferative arthritis of joints, OR proliferative injectables such as Ozone Injections that promote the healing process of damaged tissue performed at One Natural Health.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for general knowledge and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Consult your provider before starting a medical program or treatment. Any action you take upon the information within this content is strictly at your own risk. One Natural health is not liable for any damages or losses in connection with the content on this website or publications. By accepting our services you agree to our Medical Terms of Service and HIPAA practices. Alternative and Functional Medicine (aka Integrative, Holistic, Osteopath) PRP ozone prolotherapy provided in Lincoln NE.
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