How often should an application take place? | Cortisone therapy for joint diseases

How often should an application take place?

For many patients, a single application is sufficient to cure the symptoms. Depending on the preparation, the anti-inflammatory effect lasts for 3 weeks. If the inflammation has not subsided completely after this period, further cortisone infiltrations should not be carried out too close together. No more than 4 applications per year should be made per joint.

When must a cortisone injection not be used?

A cortisone infiltration must never be carried out if there is a suspicion of a serious infection! 8 weeks before and 2 weeks after the vaccination you must not be given a cortisone infiltration.

Active ingredients

The most common glucocorticoids used as crystal suspensions are used in joint diseases: They differ in their potency and duration of action. Prednisolone has the shortest duration of action and is therefore no longer preferred. The choice of the active ingredient is based on the severity of the disease and the desired anti-inflammatory effect.

Betamethasone (e.g. Diprosone® Depot)Betametasone is an artificially produced glucocorticoid that has an anti-inflammatory effect 25 times stronger than the body’s own cortisol. Betametasone is contained in the above-mentioned preparation in two forms, once as betametasone dipropionate and once as betamethasone dihydrogen phosphate. Both dissolve at different rates.

The latter is more quickly soluble and works after a few hours for a period of up to 4 days. Betamethasone diproprionate dissolves much more slowly and is therefore responsible for the long-term effect of the preparation of up to 6 weeks. The dosage to be used depends on the size of the joint.

Dexamethasone (including Lipotalon®, Supertendin®)Dexamethasone is one of the glucocorticoids with long-term effects. It is also produced artificially and has 30 times more anti-inflammatory effect than the body’s own cortisol. It is commercially available as an injection solution as dexamethasone acetate and dexamethasone palmitate, among others.

The latter is the active ingredient of Lipotalon®, a preparation in which the microcrystalline active ingredient is packed in fat globules. Triamcinolone (including Lederlon®, TriamHEXAL®, Volon® A)Triamcinolone is used in the form of triamcinolone acetate, which has 5 times the anti-inflammatory effect of the body’s own cortisol. Its duration of action after injection into the joint is about 3 weeks. – Betamethasone