Julzz33 says:

FIoricet side effects

Unfortunately, those are questions that only your doctor can answer for sure; there are several different types of injections, all with different side effects/outcomes, and the answers to your questions will also depend on which muscle is the problem, and whether it’s simply a muscular issue or actually has turned into tendonitis (like Carpal Tunnel) or a joint problem.

I’m going to assume your doctor has suggested Cortisone shots, as these are the most common. These shots typically contain cortisone (which is a corticosteroid) as well as a small amount of lidocaine (numbing medication like what is typically used by the dentist). Corticosteroids injected into ligaments, tendons, muscles or bursa are incredibly safe; they remain localized to the tissue and don’t cause any damage. However, if the cortisone is being injected directly into the joint, it’s only safe once or twice; after that, it can actually start to break down the joint and cause more problems over time, such as osteoarthritis and increased pain.

Cortisone shots are never guaranteed to work – how people respond to them is VERY individual!! Sometimes, the cortisone shots work SO well the first time, that pain subsides 100% within the first 48-72 hours after the shot, and never returns, so the patient will only ever need one shot!!! For other people, they’ll see about a 50% improvement after the first shot, but will need another one or two over the next several months or years. For other people, they’ll get complete relief from the shot but it will wear off about 3 months later, requiring repeated shots for up to a couple of years.

It’s impossible for anyone to say how you’ll respond to the shots; you may need only one, you may need several. However, the majority of people with conditions like carpal tunnel respond VERY favorably to cortisone shots, even if they have to have 3 or 4, it eventually clears the condition up completely.

Another small percentage of the population will have a persistent condition that can only be relieved by continuous shots (permanently) or by surgery. I don’t know which category you’re in; and again, it may be impossible to tell until you’ve had a shot or two.

If it’s not being injected into the joint, having one shot to see how you respond sounds like an excellent idea; you won’t damage anything, and shouldn’t see any bad side effects. The worst that will happen is it simply won’t work. However, for most people, one cortisone shot should be enough to reduce inflammation and trigger the healing process, so I would say go for it.

Again, though, this is assuming your doc had recommended cortisone; I would suggest you take these questions to your doc for an ultimate answer, because without knowing your medical history, the exact type/nature of the injury, and the type of injection, it’s impossible to give anything more than a very general answer.

There’s also another type of injection, called Prolotherapy, which contains a Dextrose or Zinc solution; this is a treatment for ligament and tendon injuries that actually stimulates healing and regeneration, and can achieve a complete cure, but isn’t typically advised for muscle problems – it’s more for ligament and tendon regeneration. It requires several shots over a period of time, but generally after treatment is finished (several months) the condition will be 100% healed and won’t reoccur in the future. It’s also incredibly safe, has NO side effects, as it’s basically a natural substance, and is held in very high regard by institutions such as the Mayo Clinic. I don’t know if this is what was recommended to you; however, if it was, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for it – with no side effects and a high cure rate, it may take several shots but you should have an excellent chance of success (probably about 98% or higher depending on the injury).