If you have been dealing with thumb pain, you may have heard about cortisone shots. These are injections that doctors give to help reduce pain in joints. You might be wondering if they really work.
A recent study from Guinea looked at how well these shots help people with different types of joint pain. The research team tracked over 500 people who received these injections. They wanted to see if the pain got better.
Here are three things you should know:
- About 7 out of 10 people felt less pain after the shots.
- The shots helped people with different types of joint problems, including arthritis.
- Doctors used a medicine called dexamethasone most often.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Research shows that 70% of patients experienced pain improvement after corticosteroid infiltrations
- According to this study, 508 patients received cortisone shots over one year at a hospital in Guinea
- Studies indicate that dexamethasone was the most commonly used corticosteroid in 46.2% of cases
- The research found that knee osteoarthritis and lower back arthritis were the main reasons for treatment
- Medical evidence shows that 30% of patients saw no change in pain intensity despite treatment
In this article:
What Are Cortisone Shots and How Do They Work?
Cortisone shots are a type of treatment where a doctor injects medicine directly into a place that hurts. The medicine is called a corticosteroid. This is a special kind of drug that helps reduce swelling and pain.
Doctors give these shots to help people who have pain in their joints. A joint is where two bones meet, like your knee, shoulder, or thumb. When a joint hurts or swells up, this medicine can help calm things down.
You may be wondering why this matters. Let us look at what the research found.
Who Got Treatment in This Study?
The study took place at a hospital in Conakry, which is a city in Guinea. The doctors there kept track of everyone who came for help with joint pain over one whole year.
Here is where it gets interesting. According to this study, out of 1,452 people who visited the hospital, 508 people received cortisone shots. That means about 1 out of every 3 people got this treatment.
Let us look at who these people were:
| Detail | What the Study Found |
|---|---|
| Average age | 53.7 years old |
| Youngest group | Young adults made up 68% |
| Gender | 55% were women |
Research shows that more women than men received these shots. For every 8 men who got treatment, 10 women got treatment.
Most people who got the shots were young adults. This might surprise you. Many people think that only older folks have joint pain. But this study shows that younger people also need help with pain.
What Conditions Were Treated?
The doctors gave cortisone shots to people with different types of joint problems. Let us look at the main reasons people needed treatment.
Osteoarthritis Was the Top Reason
Studies indicate that knee osteoarthritis was the most common problem. About 264 people, which is 52% of all patients, had this condition. Their knees hurt because the cushion in the joint had worn down.
The second most common problem was lumbarthrosis. This is a big word that means arthritis in the lower back. About 204 people, or 40.2%, had this problem. The bones in their lower spine were causing pain.
Other Conditions That Were Treated
According to medical evidence, several other conditions were treated with cortisone shots:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: This is a condition where your own body attacks your joints by mistake. It causes swelling and pain. About 216 people (42.5%) had this condition.
- Gout: This happens when tiny crystals form in your joints. It can cause sudden, severe pain. About 183 people (36%) had gout.
- Lumbosciatica: This is pain that starts in your lower back and travels down your leg. It happens when a nerve gets squeezed or irritated. About 118 people (23.2%) had this problem.
The study does not specifically mention thumb arthritis or rhizarthrosis. But these cortisone shots are used for many types of arthritis. The lessons learned can help us understand how they might work for thumb pain too.
Which Medicine Did Doctors Use?
Doctors have several types of corticosteroid medicines they can choose from. In this study, they used dexamethasone most often. This medicine was given in 46.2% of cases, which means almost half the time.
Here is something else that is important. The doctors almost always mixed another medicine with the cortisone. They used lidocaine in 93% of cases.
The doctors also had two ways to give the shots. Sometimes they used what they knew about anatomy. They remembered where the joint should be and put the needle in that spot. Other times they used ultrasound. This is like taking a video picture inside your body so they could see exactly where to put the needle.
Did It Work? What Were the Results?
This is the question everyone wants answered. Did the cortisone shots actually help reduce pain?
Research shows that the treatment helped many people. According to this study, 70% of patients felt better. That means 7 out of every 10 people had less pain after getting the shots.
But the study also found something important. For 152 people, which is 30% of patients, the pain stayed the same. The shots did not help them feel better.
Let us look closer at what this means:
| Result | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Pain improved | 356 people | 70% |
| Pain stayed the same | 152 people | 30% |
Medical evidence shows that cortisone shots can be helpful. But they do not work for everyone. This is normal with many medical treatments. What helps one person might not help another.
The study did not tell us how much better people felt. It only said that their pain improved. We also do not know how long the improvement lasted. These are good questions for future research.
About This Site
We created this site to help you understand thumb pain and rhizarthrosis better. Medical science can be confusing with all its big words and complicated ideas. We read published scientific articles and explain them in simple language that anyone can understand.
Every article on this site comes from real research done by doctors and scientists. We never make up facts or guess. We only share what the research actually says. Feel free to explore more articles to learn about your condition and the treatments that might help you.
Common Questions
How many people benefit from cortisone shots?
According to this study, 70% of patients experienced improvement in their pain after receiving cortisone infiltrations. However, 30% of patients saw no change in their pain levels. This means the treatment works for most people but not for everyone.
What is the most common medicine used in cortisone shots?
Research shows that dexamethasone was the most commonly used corticosteroid in this study. Doctors chose this medicine in 46.2% of cases. They also mixed it with lidocaine, a numbing medicine, in 93% of treatments to help reduce pain immediately.
Who usually gets cortisone shots for joint pain?
Studies indicate that most patients who received cortisone infiltrations were young adults (68%). Women received the treatment more often than men, making up 55% of patients. The average age was about 54 years old.
What conditions are treated with cortisone shots?
Medical evidence from this study shows that cortisone shots were used mainly for knee osteoarthritis (52% of cases), lower back arthritis (40.2%), rheumatoid arthritis (42.5%), gout (36%), and lower back pain that travels down the leg (23.2%). These shots help reduce pain and swelling in joints.
What This Means for You
If you have thumb pain or any joint pain, cortisone shots might be one option to consider. This study shows that they help many people feel better. About 7 out of 10 people had less pain after getting the shots.
But remember that they do not work for everyone. About 3 out of 10 people in this study did not feel any different after treatment. Every person is unique, and what works for one person might not work for another.
The best thing you can do is talk with your doctor. They can look at your specific situation and help you decide if cortisone shots might be right for you. They can also explain other treatments that might help.
You do not have to live with constant pain. There are options available. Take the time to learn about them and work with your doctor to find what helps you feel better.
Important Note
This article shares information from medical research. It is meant to help you learn and understand. But it is not medical advice. Every person is different, and what works for one person might not work for you.
Always talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before making decisions about your health. They know your specific situation and can give you advice that is right for you. If you have pain or other symptoms, please see a healthcare professional.
Scientific Source
This article is based on research published by Condé, Kaba; Adjakou, Florent; Barry, Abdoulaye; Touré, Moriba; Fometeu Wouaseha, Rosane Livia; Cissé, Fodé Abass in Cureus (2023).
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.49555
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