Normal reaction after cortisone shot?
August 22, 2022 12:42 PM Subscribe
I had a shoulder injury that was getting worse, not better, so my doctor prescribed a cortisone shot. I had the injection last Thursday. It seemed like things were improving, or at the very least not getting worse, and then last night around 4am my entire arm started throbbing. It still hurts today. Is this a normal setback? The earliest appointment I could get at Kaiser is a phone appointment this Thursday. I'm wondering if I need to go to the ER instead.
I'm just not sure if this is something that can wait- I'm in more pain now than before the shot. I don't have a fever, but my entire arm is warm to the touch. It's possible that I was too active with my arm yesterday though I was trying to be careful, but I've had this weird injury for over a month now and this is kind of a departure from what was going on before- no pain while resting, only if I did something like reach or lift. Today my entire arm from my collarbone to my hand hurts.
I talked to an advice nurse, who didn't give much advice but tried to set me up with a phone appointment. I got a call back from my doctor's office and they said "It sounds like you are worried that you are having an allergic reaction?" Which, no? I guess I am wondering what the possible reasons for this kind of new pain could be, and if I need to go to the ER. Right now I have a phone appointment for Thursday which was the soonest available.
I'm just not sure if this is something that can wait- I'm in more pain now than before the shot. I don't have a fever, but my entire arm is warm to the touch. It's possible that I was too active with my arm yesterday though I was trying to be careful, but I've had this weird injury for over a month now and this is kind of a departure from what was going on before- no pain while resting, only if I did something like reach or lift. Today my entire arm from my collarbone to my hand hurts.
I talked to an advice nurse, who didn't give much advice but tried to set me up with a phone appointment. I got a call back from my doctor's office and they said "It sounds like you are worried that you are having an allergic reaction?" Which, no? I guess I am wondering what the possible reasons for this kind of new pain could be, and if I need to go to the ER. Right now I have a phone appointment for Thursday which was the soonest available.
When I had a cortisone injection in my wrist, it felt like that for two whole days. My doc recommended Tylenol, which helped me.
On the third day? All of the pain was gone, including that from the original injury.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:47 PM on August 22, 2022
On the third day? All of the pain was gone, including that from the original injury.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:47 PM on August 22, 2022
This document from the Mayo Clinic describes your reaction as totally normal; there cna be a flareup right after the shot: Cortisone shots
posted by spinifex23 at 12:49 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by spinifex23 at 12:49 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm so sorry; I misread. You're after the 48 hour shot timeframe.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:51 PM on August 22, 2022
posted by spinifex23 at 12:51 PM on August 22, 2022
Response by poster: praemunire: no, nothing that I can see.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:00 PM on August 22, 2022
posted by oneirodynia at 1:00 PM on August 22, 2022
General advice not specific to your arm bc I don't know about that but instead of going to the ER there's a really good urgent care nearby, memail me for specific name, it's not Kaiser but if you have the cash you could have them look at it, or just call & ask them what they think. They are never crowded when I need them & they have all the imaging right there.
posted by bleep at 1:02 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 1:02 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
In your shoes I would go to Urgent Care (not the ER -- they are slammed pretty much everywhere). It looks like Kaiser in your area has a walk-in Urgent Care? (going by your profile, of course I may be wrong.) I tend not to be overly hyperanxious about medical stuff, but the extent and intensity of the reaction you're describing would make me concerned enough to want someone to actually *look* at it. (I know telemedicine is handy and all, but as an old doctor friend of mine used to say, there is no substitute for having eyeballs, ears, and hands on the patient.)
posted by Kat Allison at 4:04 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Kat Allison at 4:04 PM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Kaiser managed to get me an earlier call from a doctor this afternoon, and she thinks that this is a steroid flare in spite of it happening about 80 hours after the injection. I am supposed to apply ice more frequently and take an increased amount of anti-inflammatories. So I will see how it goes I guess.
posted by oneirodynia at 4:44 PM on August 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by oneirodynia at 4:44 PM on August 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
I know your doctor has diagnosed you, but since you still sound unsure... This is my normal reaction to a cortisone shot. At first it didn't happen every time, but now, it's pretty normal for me. So I don't know what's happening with you of course, but it's at least normal for one person, every shot.
posted by banjonaut at 4:34 PM on August 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by banjonaut at 4:34 PM on August 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks bajonaut, that's helpful to know!
posted by oneirodynia at 5:03 PM on August 23, 2022
posted by oneirodynia at 5:03 PM on August 23, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by praemunire at 12:44 PM on August 22, 2022