Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Cortisone injection side effects

I have been getting numbness down my arms from time to time. My rheumatologist told me that she thought that the numbness was shoulder-related as opposed to neck-related. I sought a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon. She also felt it was shoulder-related. I had a negative cervical MRI. I received a cortisone injection into my right shoulder on thursday. The injection brought the numbness on so I figured that was further shoulder evidence. However, I noticed that my face and neck were flush the next day and this morning. It looks as if I got some sun. Could this be related to the shot? My office is really hot and it was especially warm friday. It could have been that. I feel fine otherwise. The injection site looks fine. The front of my neck was red. The injection was on the back of the shoulder.

Thanks!!

P.S. I had a systemic cortisone injection earlier this year to combat a sinus infection. I didn't notice any flushing then. I did notice a little tingling in my face a couple of hours after the shot thursday night though. I looked at my face and neck in the mirror this afternoon and everything looks like it has returned to normal.

Craig

Hi Craig,

Other than the pain from the actual shot, I do not know what could have made you all red. You say it's all gone? That's good. Was the shot painful for you? I've had it in my heels and boy oh boy did I see stars! It could have been the shot not the cortisone.

Hope your better.

Hi Lucy! It didn't hurt actually. The doctor told me that that part of the shoulder tolerates injections well. I felt pressure but no pain. I am used to needles from having allergy shots and blood tests. However, that needle looking intimidating but ended up painless. I am on the third floor of a converted mansion that is now an office building. It can get really hot and stuffy up here with the heat on. I think I was flush from that. Thanks for the reply. I can imagine getting a shot in the heel. That sounds rough. Was it for your achilles? I bet the knee would hurt too. I have a friend who is a dancer. She battles patellar tendinitis and got a cortisone injection. I think it was rough for her too.

Take care,

Craig

suppose if it subsides, then you probably won't give it another thought.

but if it continues: i know when i get cortisone shots, it makes the area worse initially then better and better. and when i screwed up my upper back near the shoulder (for me more rhomboids, trap, rotator cuff), it caused a lot of muscle spasms in my back, neck, head. not only did i have headaches for about a month straight, but for whatever reason, the left side of my head including face were hot and red. so if this shot caused a temporary flare up, maybe experiencing same thing i did? just a thought. but as you said, could have just been your environment. hope its behind you.

Hey Sue!! Wow! Sounds like you had a rough time. My shoulder is a little sore and tight but not bad. If I reach up it hurts a little but that's about it. Hard to tell. I will bring it up with the doctor next time. If the shot caused the same numbness do you think that proves it came from the shoulder as opposed to the neck? My right arm went a little numb during the shot and it lasted for a minute or two. The orthopedic doctor told me to stretch anyway after about a week of rest following the shot. Stretching my upper body is what causes the numbness. She told me that stretching is so important for AS patients that I should push through it. She told me that it is ok since it is the shoulder. She wouldn't advise stretching if it was in the neck. I agree. LOL! Thanks for the reply Sue!! Take care!!!

Craig

Hi Craig,

I have had cortisone shot in every joint that you can think of..lol feet,ankles,knees,shoulders,elbows,wrist,SI joint, neck,back,hips,fingers..am I forgetting anything oh yea my jaw!

I have been in the hospital on prednsione IV'S for a week and yes when you get steroid shots they can do that to you. When I was in the hospital I turned beat red, my hair started standing on end, I was dying hot and it was from the masses doses I was getting.

Having one in the shoulder was easy for me, I guess the pain was so bad that when they gave it to me it was just such a relief.

I have no doubt at least on this one that all that was caused by the injection. If it went away after a few hours or a day I wouldn't worry, but if you continue to have issues your body might not be tolerating the cortisone.

I do hope it made your shoulder feel better, it always has mine.

Hugs,

Lisa

not sure, hard to tell. i think how it feels as time goes by will be the real indicator.

as for the stretching, guess everyone is different, just do what feels right and be careful. i think i am very rare in that while stretching is usually helpful, i've also hurt things by overstretching, but i don't think most people have that problem. my cortisone shots were in my wrists (and SI) and for my wrists, i did move it but was careful to do so.

hope your shot helps you as much as cortisone helps me. for my wrists, i basically waited until they were so bad that just a little bit of movement was setting up more and more inflammation and new scar tissue. and in each case (with both my wrists and SI), the cortisone got me over that hump needed to recover functionality. the one thing that did happen was that the muscles and tendons had atrophied some and i did have to go through PT rehab after the shots (for the wrists).

Hey Lisa!! It probably was the shot. My office is always warm and I don't get flush. The sinus infection cortisone shot had a lot less steroid in it so I probably tolerated it better. The jaw sounds rough to me. Did they do anything for you in the hospital or did they just watch you after you turned red?

Craig

Hey Lisa! I found a question and answer where a woman was a dancer and had a cortisone shot into her ankle and experienced a flushed face. The doc who answered her was a professor of family medicince at the University of Cincinnati. Here was his response:

"You are experiencing a condition known as a steroid flare. Flushing of the body or face can occur after a steroid injection. Also, localized redness and increased tenderness can occur for several days after a local injection of cortisone into a joint. This is a common reaction. I hope this helps."

Craig