I had an injection of steroids in my left TMJ joint this past friday to help manage arthritis pain. I am still on a high dose of oral prednisone also. I know the injection is supposed to stay in the joint, but i wondering if it has gotten into my system adding to the overall dose. I am having some worrisome symptoms; my neck is swollen & thick, & feels uncomfortable. Has anyone else had both these treatments at the same time & had a similar problem?
Oral pred & steroid injection in joint: I had an... - PMRGCAuk
Oral pred & steroid injection in joint
Someone will come along to explain this extra dose on your system but I do recognise the thick swollen neck symptom and have never mentioned it to anyone. I also have a tendency to choke. I have put it down to Pred. And the fat distribution. How is your pain though?
I wonder if steroid administered directly into a joint does its work there and doesn't add to the dose that goes through your digestive system?
Hi,
I had a couple of steroid injection in my knee for arthritis whilst on Pred - can't say I noticed any effect overall.
Did you notice any effects in the local area around your knee?
Did help a little, but can't say it was miraculous! But then - what is!!
On another topic, DorsetLady, do you have any on going pain around your bad eye, or any shimmering in your eyes? I have these symptoms for a long time now, & had been meaning to ask you about it.
Hi again, not pain as such, but if I've watched too much TV, or been to cinema (not that I go a lot, but did over holidays with family) I do get an ache in lost eye. Similar to eye strain, strange because I see hardly anything with that eye.- only vague outlines and light in the bottom right quadrant. I suppose because the mechanics of the eye is still receiving light, and maybe detects some form of movement, the brain is still trying (after almost 5 years) to process those images.
Have asked the question of ophthalmologists, but they can't really explain it.
The only shimmering I get is from dry-eye, but that's a different problem altogether, had it pre GCA.
Ok, similar to you, the pain i feel in my bad eye does seem to be connected with eyestrain, especially viewing electronic screens. Yes, my eye keeps trying to focus, also.
I have very dry eyes too, using eyedrops & night eye ointment which do help reduce the shimmering, but not as much as i'd like.
Thx 😊
Very little should get into the bloodstream although I think it is fairly certain some does. Joints don't have a good blood supply except to the bones on either side - ligaments and tendons don't have much blood supply either. That is why they use intraarticular injections- to get the steroid where it is needed quickly. The pred goes into the synovial fluid which bathes all the surfaces they are aiming for - so there is the possibility it will diffuse into any blood vessels but not a lot will do so.
I have had a read around - one study using steroid injections in TMJ problems did mention 2 patients with facial swelling as a side effect. But if you are worried - call your doctor and ask. Then you will be sure.
Doctor ordered a neck sonogram for me, i guess to check my thyroid. I feel better todsy, though & swelling is down. I tried an antihistamine last night in case it was allergic reaction to the injection or something else, may have helped or maybe the reaction just ran its course.