Cortisone shots are given as symptomatic treatment for a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, and other ailments. Commonly the injection consists of a mixture of a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic to minimize pain from the injected medicine.
Most cortisone injections are conducted in a doctor office and may take as little as a 10 minute visit. The site of injection is cleaned and may be sprayed with a local anesthetic. Then the needle is inserted directly into the painfully inflamed joint for medicine delivery.
After receiving the shot, one might be advised to minimize use of the joint for 24-48 hours. For example, in the case of a shoulder injection immediate heavy lifting should be avoided. Sometimes a cortisone flare occurs when the cortisone crystallizes which can cause intense pain for up to 48 hours even worse than before the shot.
While rare, severe side effects such as joint infection, nerve damage, and weakening of nearby tendons and bones are possible. More shots increase the risk of severe side effects so many doctors limit the number of injections to three or less. Since cortisone shots offer pain relief for only several weeks and work for only about half of those receiving a shot, they should be considered a treatment aid at best, not a cure.
One approach to avoid using cortisone injections is to systemically minimize inflammation in the body and focus on treating underlying causes of pain and inflammation. That’s one reason cortisone shots don’t work for everyone — sometimes they are attempting to treat the wrong kind of pain.
There are two types of pain, muscular or tissue based pain and nerve based pain. Treating the wrong type of pain may result in no impact on levels of pain. That’s why a proper diagnosis of the underlying conditions leading to inflammation is critical for long-term pain relief.
Pros for cortisone injections:
Can reduce inflammation in localized areas
May relieve pain related to inflammation
May be helpful as part of a broader treatment program
Cons for cortisone injections:
Provides pain relief for only about half of shot recipients
There’s a powerful trio of substances that surpass all the rest — including a popular prescription medication — in reducing inflammation, relieving pain and improving joint function.
Unlike many joint formulas which only mask the pain, these three ingredients go to work at the source of the problem — the eroding cartilage and resulting inflammation. Rebuilding and protecting cartilage and synovial fluid — all critical to healthy joint function — along with controlling inflammation, are key to providing long-lasting comfort and ease of movement.
The first of these three ‘power’ ingredients — Glucosamine — is one of the main building blocks of cartilage and is naturally found in joint structures.
Glucosamine …
Enhances your body’s ability to make collagen and proteoglycans — substances essential for rebuilding joints
Helps your body make synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints.
Protects your cartilage from the destructive actions of NSAIDs.
The purest and most stable form, glucosamine HCL, is readily absorbed by the body and contains no added sodium or potassium salts.
The addition of Chondroitin Sulfate adds to glucosamine HCL’s cartilage-building abilities.
Chondroitin Sulfate also plays a major role in the production of cartilage:
Helps create cartilage tissue by attaching to collagen and elastin
Maintains healthy joint cartilage by attracting and retaining water
Protects cartilage against destructive enzymes
Facilitates the passage of essential nutrients for cartilage repair
The landmark double-blind National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) studied the effects of glucosamine HCL and chondroitin together on 1583 subjects. The combination of the two surpassed a popular prescription drug for effectively relieving moderate to severe pain!
The third ‘power’ ingredient, MSM, sometimes referred to as the ‘miracle molecule’, contains that one element critical to the functioning of every cell — sulfur.
When your cells are low in sulfur, your body can’t repair damaged tissue fast enough. In fact, research shows that joint problems tend to be associated with low levels of sulfur in the body.
With today’s diets, it’s difficult to get enough sulfur from your food as cooking and processing quickly destroy sulfur. The only way to ensure high enough levels of sulfur is to take supplemental MSM.
So how does MSM support healthy joint function?
Supports and strengthens cartilage.
Supplies the sulfur needed to build healthy new cells.
Promotes normal physical functioning by helping to fight inflammation.
Helps soothe muscle and joint pain and reduces muscle spasms.
Inhibits the transmission of pain impulses along nerve fibers.
Promotes healthy blood supply, supplying oxygen and nutrients to cartilage and removing toxic wastes.
Naturally, you want a fast, effective solution to your stiffness, aches, and pains.
And, if you’re like many folks, you don’t want the harmful and uncomfortable side effects that accompany so many products. Most solutions provide only temporary relief at best and do nothing to tackle the root of the problem.
This powerful trio — Glucosamine HCL, Chondroitin Sulfate, and MSM — bring long-lasting pain relief and comfort by working deep at the source to ease inflammation, swelling, and breakdown of cartilage.
And these three substances form the basis for our fast-acting, liquid joint pain relief formula, Super Joint Supportâ„¢. If you suffer from any type of aches or pains, especially joint-related, I encourage you to see how effective this formula is.
Over the past decade or so, glucosamine and then chondroitin have become widely promoted for “joint health” by many supplement manufacturers. Today we look at what these supplements are and some of the evidence behind their use.
What are glucosamine and chondroitin?
Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body. It’s needed to produce a special molecule called glycosaminoglycan which forms and repairs body tissues, particularly cartilage.
Chondroitin is a significant component of cartilage which gives joints their strength and elasticity for absorbing shock. It also absorbs fluid into nearby connective tissue and helps in the construction of new cartilage.
Do we need glucosamine and chondroitin supplements?
Articular cartilage lines all of our moving joints, cushioning bones and providing for their fluid motion. This cartilage is quite tough but also very thin — about 1/8 of an inch. As a result even small defects can make articular cartilage vulnerable to wear and tear. This degeneration of cartilage is called osteoarthritis and is very common in older adults, typically in the joints of the knees, hips and hands.
As we age, glucosamine production slows. This in turn slows the repair of damaged cartilage. Supplementing with glucosamine reintroduces this vital compound to the body.
Many studies have shown that glucosamine is effective in treating osteoarthritis. One impressive three year study of patients with knee osteoarthritis treated with 1500mg of glucosamine sulfate per day experienced a significant reduction in pain and stiffness. X-rays of the same individuals after 3 years found no further narrowing of joint spaces while those taking a placebo did.
Studies of the use of chondroitin show mixed results, but the most promising studies show chondroitin taken with glucosamine can magnify the positive effects of glucosamine supplementation, reducing pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis.
An interesting side note to glucosamine and chondroitin they can take weeks to begin having a noticeable effect on pain and stiffness, but continue to provide relief up to 3 months after treatment is stopped. They are much safer than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) commonly taken for osteoarthritis. Taking glucosamine and chondroitin can lessen dependence on NSAIDs.
Who should not use glucosamine and chondroitin?
Most glucosamine in commercial supplements are derived chitin, a substance harvested from the actual shells of shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster). Those with shellfish allergies should use glucosamine supplements from non-shellfish sources.
Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements are not recommended for pregnant or nursing women or for children as they have not been studied for safety in these groups. Speak with your doctor before taking chondroitin if you are taking any blood thinning medication as chondroitin can enhance the effects of blood thinners. Of course, you should always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements if you are taking prescribed drugs.
Summary
Glucosamine and chondroitin have some detractors, but most studies find them benign at worst and tremendously helpful to osteoarthritis sufferers at best. Glucosamine and chondroitin may not work for everyone but is well worth considering as a natural healing option when dealing with joint pain or stiffness.
The creaky knees and achy back of old age are a well-known stereotype. Of course, it’s based in truth. As we age, muscles shorten and lose some elasticity. The soft tissues that hold joints together stiffen. Bones lose density.
Conventional medicine typically offers cover-up treatments for these naturally occurring changes. But these treatments do nothing to restore lost function.
They may relieve symptoms-and just as likely, they may not. But they don’t get at the root causes of the problems. They don’t offer cures.
Fortunately, natural medicine has many answers to the problem of painful muscles and joints that conventional medicine doesn’t offer. Here are two of the best.
The Healthy Back Institute - 333 Main St. Suite #201 Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Phone: 800-216-4908 Fax: 866-843-4319
The Healthy Back Institute is a Get Healthy and Fit Company
Cortisone shots are given as symptomatic treatment for a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, and other ailments. Commonly the injection consists of a mixture of a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic to minimize pain from the injected medicine.
Over the past decade or so, glucosamine and then chondroitin have become widely promoted for “joint health” by many supplement manufacturers. Today we look at what these supplements are and some of the evidence behind their use.
More than 70 million Americans tormented by blood sugar problems are blindly trusting conventional solutions and putting their health at great risk!
The creaky knees and achy back of old age are a well-known stereotype. Of course, it’s based in truth. As we age, muscles shorten and lose some elasticity. The soft tissues that hold joints together stiffen. Bones lose density.
