What are the potentially negative side effects of cortisone injections?
Cortisone injections are overall very safe and effective when used appropriately. However, like any medication, cortisone can have potentially negative side effects on the body in addition to their positive effects. Locally, cortisone injections can cause post-injection flaring of pain, loss of skin pigmentation, bleeding or bruising at the injection site, or even infection in the soft tissues or within the joint. These side effects may occur if too potent, too high of volume, or too frequently injected medication is used, but more commonly occur as a result of individual reaction to the medication. For example, it is known that dark-skinned persons are more susceptible to depigmentation side effects. Also, certain types of cortisone are linked with more post-injection pain than others. Regarding infections, these are rare, but if an infection occurs, it is usually because cortisone works to suppress the immune system in that area, and can make that area more vulnerable to the spread o
