Dr. Joshua John-Ram Schacter explains that steroid injections for joint pain are an episodic, short-term treatment that primarily mask symptoms rather than treat underlying causes. He warns that injections can provide temporary pain relief while failing to address contributors such as unwanted weight gain, difficulty with exercise, and deconditioning, and that repeated use may worsen the affected joint.
When we do a steroid injection, we're doing that to relieve the patient of pain, just like everything else we do in modern American medicine. It's an episodic treatment. You come in with a problem, we have a short term fix, and we're just kind of kicking the can down the road to try and buy you some time with relief. Well, the problem with that strategy is that, sure, we give you a little bit of relief of pain, but it's essentially masking your symptoms. It's not dealing with any of the other problems that can contribute to your joint pain, like unwanted weight gain, difficulty with exercise, deconditioning, all manner of problems that can contribute to your joint pain, and it's worsening your joint as you go.
She Traveled from Colorado for a Different Approach to Knee Pain | Lois’ Story
