Cortisone Injection

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
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RLS Ouch
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:52 am

Cortisone Injection

Post by RLS Ouch »

Hi Everyone

I was in a car accedent about a year ago. Three months later I was left with Restless Leg Syndrome. My heart goes out to everyone out there with this condition. So long story short my doctor is interested in giving me a Cortisone Injection into my spine to help relieve the pain. I'm scared to death because what if it aggravates my RLS? I'd be in a world of hell. On the flip side of the coin what if it relieves inflamation and my RLS improves? What a miracle that'd be! And lastly any suggrstions on relieving a pinched nerve in the spine? I wanted to give the group my latest discovery that has helped. Salonpas lidocaine patches. I slap a couple those babies on each leg and it helps calm my nerves. I get about an extra hour of sleep. Hope you guys are doing well. God Bess.

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Cortisone Injection

Post by stjohnh »

Well, I had a spinal cyst pressing on one of my spinal nerves causing awful leg pain. I was on opioids for several months while a series of doctors misdiagnosed my condition. The opioids worked well on my RLS (not so well on my leg pain), so my RLS did not bother me during that time. As part of attempting to help me, I was sent to a physiatrist specializing in spinal injections. I had the injection, which made my leg pain go away, but only for 24 hours. I was ultimately sent to a neurosurgeon, who correctly diagnosed the problem and I had spine surgery to remove the cyst. When I woke up from the surgery, the excruciating leg pain was gone. Of course, after stopping the opioids, my RLS returned.

I am assuming that the point of the cortisone injection is to help pain that resulted from your accident, not that you have pain as an RLS symptom. Assuming the pain you have is really from a pinched nerve, many people get good relief from the spinal cortisone injections. Those that don't usually require spinal surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerve.

The preponderance of evidence says that RLS is due to low brain iron. Contributions to RLS from the spinal cord are thought to be minimal (there is conflicting evidence on spinal involvement in RLS symptoms- there must be some, since vibration pads, tens units, hot/cold leg baths, etc help some people). It is unlikely that the cortisone spinal injection will have any effect on your RLS.

I don't remember any of the users of this forum reporting an improvement in RLS symptoms from a spinal cortisone injection (more technically called an epidural steroid injection).

I was looking at some of your prior posts. Did the compulsive shopping and libido problems get resolved? What are you taking for your RLS?. Likely your RLS is at least partially related to the anti-psychotics you were taking. Are you off the antipsychotics?

The "God Bless" at the end of your post suggests that you are a Christian. If so, prayer and the knowledge of God's abiding love for me has helped me cope during some of the most awful spells of RLS.
Blessings,
Holland

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Cortisone Injection

Post by ViewsAskew »

I can only say that I've had cortisone in my foot, knee, and fingers (multiple times for trigger fingers) and it has never bothered my RLS. No idea if it does - but I do not recall hearing that it can.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

legsbestill
Posts: 561
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:22 pm
Location: Dublin Ireland

Re: Cortisone Injection

Post by legsbestill »

I think I read a post somewhere by a man who used an anal suppository of lidocaine each evening and it helped his rls a lot. I haven't tried it ... yet - things are relatively controlled at the moment and it would require a certain level of discomfort to hoist me over the disinclination to take medication in suppository form.

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Cortisone Injection

Post by Polar Bear »

I've had a cortisone injection in my hip and was unaware of any ill effects to rls symptoms.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

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