Things You'll Need:
- Orthopedic physician
-
Step 1
Understand cortisone is used to relieve pain by reducing the swelling and inflammation in the tissue. By reducing the pressure on the nerve sensors in the tissue, the result is often recognized as pain relief.
-
Step 2
Recognize painful and swollen joints are often a result of chronic Lyme disease. Injecting cortisone into the affected joint is a means of reducing the swelling. It may be necessary to perform an arthrocentesis (fluid removal) at the same time for better resolution of the discomfort.
-
Step 3
Expect the use of cortisone on an intermittent basis to treat Lyme disease. The results often last for several weeks or months. The number and frequency of injections is evaluated on an individual basis by the treating orthopedic physician.
-
Step 4
Understand that relief from a cortisone injection to treat joints affected by Lyme disease will vary. For patients with chronic inflammation, it will take longer and probably require the use of cortisone more frequently than for acute joint swelling from other causes.
-
Step 5
Expect the needle that the doctor will use to inject the cortisone will likely be larger than your typical "shot in the arm" needle. It has to be long enough to reach the innermost part of the joint and deliver the medication.
-
Step 6
Expect your doctor to use a local anesthetic combined with cortisone to inject for joint pain. The anesthetic is an effective pain reliever while the cortisone does its work to reduce the swelling.
