Should the Steroid Scandal Scare Knee Pain Sufferers away from Steroid Shots?
Open any paper and you’ll find headlines shouting of steroid overuse and abuse. Suddenly joint pain sufferers are questioning the safety of injected steroid shots commonly used to diminish the pain and swelling of joints and tissues. "It is critical for professional, amateur and week-end athletes to realize that ‘steroid’ injections into joints and tendons are completely unrelated to the steroids that are currently the talk of the news,” reports Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, Orthopedic Surgeon at the NYU Medical Center and Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, and chief of hip and knee reconstruction at Maimonides Medical Center.
(PRWEB) December 11, 2004
Open any paper and youÂ’ll find headlines shouting of steroid overuse and abuse. Professional athletes aspiring to be the biggest and best in their respective fields are admitting to the use of banned steroids to enhance their performances.
Suddenly joint pain sufferers are questioning the safety of injected steroid shots commonly administered to diminish the pain and swelling of joints and tissues.
“It’s critical for professional, amateur and week-end athletes to realize that ‘steroid’ injections into joints and tendons are completely unrelated to the steroids that are currently the talk of the news,” reports Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, Orthopedic Surgeon at the NYU Medical Center and Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, and chief of hip and knee reconstruction at Maimonides Medical Center.
“Steroids represent a large class of medications in the same way that the term ‘aircraft’ refers to jets as well as helicopters and gliders.”
-The steroids that build up muscle mass are anabolic steroids that come with a host of dangerous side effects.
-Joint and tendon steroids are safe anti-inflammatory medications that quiet down tissue irritation and relieve pain.
Let's Clarify Cortisone
“Natural cortisone, an adrenocorticoid hormone produced in one’s body by the adrenal gland, is released at the onset of stress into the blood stream,” explains Dr. Grelsamer. “Injectable cortisone, on the other hand, is a synthetic steroid first used for rheumatoid arthritis, and developed as a derivative of natural cortisone by Edward C. Kendall and Philip S. Hench at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 1948. Steroid shots are injected into a specific area of inflammation to treat conditions such as severe knee problems, painful hips and backs, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, synovitis, tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Are Steroids Safe?
“In What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Knee Pain and Surgery,” Warner Books 2002, and "What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery,” Warner Books 2004, Dr. Grelsamer says “There are downsides to steroid injections, however. They are not curative, and they can make the tissues less healthy and more prone to infection.
“The likelihood of developing one or more side effects depends on the dose of medication and on the length of time the medication is taken. There is therefore a limit to how many injections a physician can prescribe for a specific area. It is important to note that not all steroids are equivalent. The more expensive medications are stronger, last longer, and don’t leave a dandruff like residue in the joint.
“Injections provide short-term relief at best. Although pain relief usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks, some patients might experience freedom from pain for a few months. Newer forms of injectable medications may last longer, with fewer deleterious effects on the joint, but their benefits are not predictable, either.”
Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, M. D., is currently the chief of hip and knee reconstruction at Maimonides Medical Center, and a noted staff orthopedic specialist at the NYU Medical Center and Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute. A highly-regarded knee and hip surgeon, Grelsamer has been listed in Castle Connolly’s “America’s Top Doctors,” and in New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors of New York” for many years. Traditionally trained and educated, Grelsamer is an avid patient advocate at the forefront of orthopedic research and technology, who integrates the latest treatments and surgery options into his practice. He has been treating people of all ages for over twenty years at his two offices in New York City and Brooklyn, New York. He has also shared his expertise with the public on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Eyewitness News, FOX TV, and in publications such as Forbes Magazine and USA Today.
Books Authored by Ronald P. Grelsamer, M. D.
"What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery." Ronald P. Grelsamer. Warner Books, 2004
"What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Knee Pain and Surgery." Ronald P. Grelsamer. Warner Books, 2002
"La Rotula - approcio d'equipe." Ronald P. Grelsamer and J. McConnell PT, GDMT.
Translated by A. Albasini. Masson Milano, 2001.
"The Patella: A Team Approach." Ronald P. Grelsamer and J. McConnell PT, GDMT. Aspen Press, 1998
"The Columbia-Presbyterian Osteoarthritis Handbook." Ronald P. Grelsamer and Suzanne Loebl, New York: Macmillan, 1996
Ronald Grelsamer, MD, Web & Blog Site: www. kneehippain. com
Contact:
Diana Aceti Public Relations
PO Box 1919
Bridgehampton, NY 11932
Phone/Fax 631-613-6057
Cell 516-382-0922
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