Do steroids help other pain

[Garnacha]

Hi everyone, am I right in thinking steroids (orally) reduce inflammation & pain? Having a flare & they are starting to work but, I've had a pain in my left side for weeks, it's in my back, side & under my left ribs, consultant said over the phone its probably inflammation in my spine with root nerve irritation.

Even with the steroids it's not helped, saw a clinician last Thursday as when I spoke to the gp she said I needed a f2f as it's been going on for a while, anyway clinician prescribed me a month of steroids but also gave me anaesthetic pads to put on my side, he said to let him know if they work or not, definitely not working. I thought at first he wanted to just know but now I'm wondering if it's because if they don't work it could be something else.

I had a chest xray in October which showed a significant shadow under my left breast, had urgent ct scan November which was all normal.

I was hoping that steroids would help as they are with the flare I've got at the moment

Thanks in advance for any info/ advice x

[Mmrr]

Sorry to hear that you are having so much pain.Oral steroids have helped my RA pain significantly, and issues that I have had with my lumbar spine possibly but not confirmed inflammatory issues.

I hope that you manage to get a F2F appointment soon and get to the root of the problem.

[Garnacha in reply to Mmrr]

Thank you, the steroids are helping the "normal" flare pain but not the pain in my back, side & front, just wondering if it's not helping perhaps it's nothing to do with arthritis 🤔 x

[nomoreheels]

Corticosteroids reduce inflammation & because of that the pain it causes. So, that being the case to my mind that would suggest either it's not inflammation causing the pain in your back, side & under L rib or it is but the dose is too little to cope with it. Simplistic so may not be accurate.

Have you tried lying on the L side, the painful side? It sounds odd but often you can get relief lying on the side that hurts. I hope it does. You definitely need to be examined again though, saying probably isn't helping you is it as it's been going on for weeks & especially as the pads haven’t helped either. I'd get in touch as he said, let him know.

[Garnacha in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you, yes I keep trying to sleep on my left side especially as it's my preferred position but it gets too painful, it also feels like it's going numb in certain positions.

The clinician prescribed 20mg pday but I asked if I could start a bit slowly as I remembered the last time I started on 20mg didn't sleep for 3 days 🤣 I've been on 15mg since Monday & there's been a definite improvement in the other pain (one of which was my right shoulder so couldn't sleep on my right side either, I can now). Was hoping 15mg would be enough, perhaps I need to try 20mg & see if that works 🤔

Think I will have to let the clinician know the pads aren't working, just feel I'm either on the phone, emailing them or having f2f appointments like a hypochondriac 🙄🤣 x

[cathie]

I'm asthmatic and a while ago had to take oral steroids for it. My RA pains really improved - I know it was a temporary thing but very welcome at the time. When I have intravenous steroid with Rituximab I get a high blood sugar hit, which needs careful management for a day. So steroids can have quite a wide impact.

[Jan31]

Hi I’m no good with where various parts of the body are without my trusty google anyway! My GP asked me recently about pain in certain places and they were trying to establish if it was gallstones playing up. I’m not sure if it’s worth asking for an ultrasound. That’s what picked mine up in the first place when I was having it for something else. The trouble with RA is that there’s a danger everything gets put down to it. Might be worth an ask? Hope you do feel a little better soon. It’s horrid being in pain. Take care.