What is the evidence for longer term damage or detriment from steroid injections into a joint with OA? Are steroid injections to the shoulder contraindicated in the presence of tendon tear or rupture? : NLH Question Answering Service

Responses:

Three months seems a curiously long interval. I sometimes wonder whether such intervals are based on logic and science or are artefacts of hospital out-patient booking systems, where appointments are likely to be at least 3 months in the future.

Conflict of Interests - none

I think along with most "evidence" in joint injection the science is poor - there is some evidence that steriod injection works short term in degenerative disese (tennis elbow) but at 1 year the interventions - whatever they are are the same. There is also the question of safety in respect to local and distal osteoporosis. I can state that I do not know which is in harmony with the evidence - they do work but then again strong reassurance works - more evidence needed?

Conflict of Interests - none