Cortisone shots are injections that can help relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body. They’re most commonly injected into joints — such as your ankle, elbow, hip, knee, shoulder, spine or wrist. Even the small joints in your hands or feet might benefit from cortisone shots.
The injections usually contain a corticosteroid medication and a local anesthetic.
Cortisone shots might be most effective in treating inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. They can also be part of treatment for other conditions, including:
- Back pain
- Bursitis
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Tendinitis