cortisone shot in knee

[Totie]

Has anyone ever had a cortisone shot & about 4 hrs after the pain was more sever than before getting the shot. Before I could walk normally with little discomfort. Now I can walk or bend knee....

I don't see it being swollen, but it is more than painful than before. I thought the shot was going alleviate the pain, not cause it to be more painful....

[geminigirl1963]

Very glad to hear!  I hope you get long pain relief from the injection!

[ChitChatNine]

Terrific news to hear!  Me, too .. my ankle does the same thing!  Those first 48hrs are unpredictable!

C~

[Totie]

Thanks for your reply. You were correct....the numbing medicine wore off. By 2 am when I got up to go to bathroom I could bend my knee..

My pain has basically left compared to yesterday....Walking normal now...

Thank you..

[geminigirl1963]

It's actually not unusual to have an increase in pain after an injection - simply because the injection is traumatic to the joint - after all, they are sticking  aneedle into the joint!

Quite often, the injections you get in joints also contain a numbing agent, so you may very well feel immediate pain relief - however, once that numbing agent wears off, you experience pain again.  It actually takes a few days for the steroid part of the inejction (the cortisone) to start taking effect in the joint.

So, try to be patient for a couple of days, HOWEVER, if you continue to notice a decline in your mobility or increase in pain levels, especially if you start running a fever or your knee is red, swollen and warm - IMMEDIATELY get in touch wtih your doctor or head to the ER.  Any time you puncture the skin, there is chance of infection.

I hope you feel better soon!