Natural Alternatives to Cortisone Injections for Joint Pain
Natural Alternatives to Cortisone Injections for Joint Pain
By Dr. C.M. Curtis
4/30/2024
As a treatment for joint pain, cortisone (steroid) injections have been a mainstay in conventional medicine for over 70 years. I am NOT a fan of this. In this article, I will discuss why I am not a fan of cortisone injections, and discuss some scientific natural injections that are not only safe but very effective.
Cortisone injections act as an anti-inflammatory agent. They work in many cases, but often, the results are temporary. The big problem, however, has to do with the side effects of cortisone. There are a lot of them. I will list some below.
Potential side effects of cortisone injections:
1. Hypertension (high blood pressure)
2. Type ll diabetes
3. Weight gain
3. Heart failure
4. Blood clots
5. Potassium loss (many problems can result from this)
6. Glaucoma
7. Bone loss (osteopenia/osteoporosis)
8. Fractures
9. Osteoarthritis
10. Infection
11. Hemorrhage
12. Cataracts
13. Muscle weakness
14. Joint degeneration
15. Rapid destruction of joint tissue
Joint Degeneration???
A study published on Sept. 22, 2021, in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, states that Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii followed patients diagnosed with Rapidly Destructive Hip Disease (RDHD) for three years. Those who had received steroid injections into their hip joints were over 8 times more likely to experience rapid degeneration of the joint. The patients who received higher doses of cortisone, or more injections were the ones who experienced the most joint degeneration.
The authors of the study make the following statement:
“With regard to biologic plausibility, the potential for corticosteroids to injure articular cartilage is well established.”
This is a true statement.
It is well established that one common side effect of cortisone injections into a joint is degeneration of that same joint later on. This is the very reason why many medical providers will not inject the same joint more than twice. Unfortunately, many others place no limit on the number of times they will inject cortisone into a given joint.
We’ve known for a long time that cortisone injections can cause joint degeneration, but I’ve never yet met a patient who was advised of that fact before receiving the injections.
Here’s the Good News!
As I said earlier in this article, there are safe, natural injections that really do work.
Over the years, I have observed the beneficial effects of these natural injections on numerous patients (including family members and close friends). I can attest to the fact that they work. And, unlike cortisone, the results they provide are not temporary. These therapies rather than causing degeneration of the joint tissues, stimulate healing, and a degree of regeneration.
I’m not promising that a degenerative joint will become like new again, but the growth factors in these natural injections have a proven healing effect, without significant side effects.
Below is a list of some safe, effective natural injection therapies that are used for joint healing: (the last one is my favorite)