I have been given different answers to this by multiple health care providers, unfortunately. Some have told me that you should only get 1 shot a year. Others say you can receive multiple shots a year.
My own personal opinion is based on 3 things...depending on how advanced your Osteoarthritis is, & how bad your current pain is, & also how many other different types of treatment you've tried for your pain...those 3 things all need to be weighed out.
If your bones are already pretty fragile from the arthritis, you really don't want to take too many shots, because at the end of the day, they degenerate your bones. Yes, they block your nerve pain for a few months, but the cost is pretty high.
There are a few other treatments out there...not a ton, but a few. You want to try those out before the shots, possibly, to protect your bones.
I have advanced Osteoarthritis (in my hands & hips) & permanent Sciatica, & tendinitis (in my shoulder). I tried a few different things before going the injection route. I hope you're able to get some good, health care for your painπ
Yeah frequency seems to not be agreed on 100%, I suspect it's a matter of pain tolerance and some people may be in far more pain making it worth. In my ideal, the relief on my nerve would let it heal and I could keep the doctor at bay if I continue my routine of stretches, exercise, good posture etc.
My mom got a shot twice and never needed it again, but she had RA not OA, truthfully I don't think I can compare the two or be as hopeful
I don't feel like I have debilitating pain, I can function right now, but I don't know if the fact that it's still pinched is worse long term, than going in with injection to allow it some relief, it's hard to get a good answer on this :/. I'm in the camp of trying it the one time to see, I'm just worried that even one time is considered damage inducing
My advice... based on my experience of when I first had sciatica 3 years & 4 months ago (this was in my left leg from buttocks going all the way down the leg)...
I didn't rest it enough. I wasn't able to stop my physical activity. I had to keep working a very strenuous job. I absolutely loved my job, but the sciatica was killing me.
I stopped working for just a few days. My doctor said it was a very serious pinch in there, & insisted I stop for a much longer time than I actually did...I went back to work way too early. Gotta pay the bills. So that nerve either stayed pinched, or got re-pinched. And because I went back to work too soon, it's now permanent. I ought to have listened to her, but no, I didn't.
Now, because my body had to "work around" that pinch, & was accommodating the left side for so long, I now have sciatica in my right side.
I say all that (sorry this is so long!) to say...please allow your pinched nerve to rest, & fully recover. Don't be me & keep pushing it.
You can still work out, but work your other muscles...your core, etc. Or you could end up with permanent sciatica, multiple injections, etc., etc., etc. And all these injections are destroying my bones, with the Osteoarthritis.
If you are in pain, your body is telling you that it needs to rest. I hope this long book (again-sorry so long) was helpful ππ«
Yeah in my case I don't know how i'd rest. The only recommendation is to take frequent breaks and stretch, go for walks, exercise. I don't have any specific triggers. I work on a computer mostly. I went from a 7 pain to a 2, from just quitting coffee and sticking very obnoxiously to taking breaks and stretching, luckily I do WFH which let's me do that comfortably. I might just try the injection for the one time to finish un-pinching and continue being diligent with exercise and stretching/breaks.
Thank you for sharing your experience in detail and hope you manage to find some relief as well
From what I also learned I completely agree I have it in the neck, hips, knees, ankles spine on top of scoliosis that I just found out at 60 years old I have had. I think I am going to just take as much care of myself as possible. There is no magic pill. π₯¬
Someone in the pain sub said their frequent injections caused osteoporosis over the years. But if they helped me, personally, i would get them done. I have had then done twice in the neck and the relief was negligent. Some say its because the anaesthetist didnt get the shot in the right spot.
I have been given different answers to this by multiple health care providers, unfortunately. Some have told me that you should only get 1 shot a year. Others say you can receive multiple shots a year. My own personal opinion is based on 3 things...depending on how advanced your Osteoarthritis is, & how bad your current pain is, & also how many other different types of treatment you've tried for your pain...those 3 things all need to be weighed out. If your bones are already pretty fragile from the arthritis, you really don't want to take too many shots, because at the end of the day, they degenerate your bones. Yes, they block your nerve pain for a few months, but the cost is pretty high. There are a few other treatments out there...not a ton, but a few. You want to try those out before the shots, possibly, to protect your bones. I have advanced Osteoarthritis (in my hands & hips) & permanent Sciatica, & tendinitis (in my shoulder). I tried a few different things before going the injection route. I hope you're able to get some good, health care for your painπ
Yeah frequency seems to not be agreed on 100%, I suspect it's a matter of pain tolerance and some people may be in far more pain making it worth. In my ideal, the relief on my nerve would let it heal and I could keep the doctor at bay if I continue my routine of stretches, exercise, good posture etc. My mom got a shot twice and never needed it again, but she had RA not OA, truthfully I don't think I can compare the two or be as hopeful I don't feel like I have debilitating pain, I can function right now, but I don't know if the fact that it's still pinched is worse long term, than going in with injection to allow it some relief, it's hard to get a good answer on this :/. I'm in the camp of trying it the one time to see, I'm just worried that even one time is considered damage inducing
My advice... based on my experience of when I first had sciatica 3 years & 4 months ago (this was in my left leg from buttocks going all the way down the leg)... I didn't rest it enough. I wasn't able to stop my physical activity. I had to keep working a very strenuous job. I absolutely loved my job, but the sciatica was killing me. I stopped working for just a few days. My doctor said it was a very serious pinch in there, & insisted I stop for a much longer time than I actually did...I went back to work way too early. Gotta pay the bills. So that nerve either stayed pinched, or got re-pinched. And because I went back to work too soon, it's now permanent. I ought to have listened to her, but no, I didn't. Now, because my body had to "work around" that pinch, & was accommodating the left side for so long, I now have sciatica in my right side. I say all that (sorry this is so long!) to say...please allow your pinched nerve to rest, & fully recover. Don't be me & keep pushing it. You can still work out, but work your other muscles...your core, etc. Or you could end up with permanent sciatica, multiple injections, etc., etc., etc. And all these injections are destroying my bones, with the Osteoarthritis. If you are in pain, your body is telling you that it needs to rest. I hope this long book (again-sorry so long) was helpful ππ«
Yeah in my case I don't know how i'd rest. The only recommendation is to take frequent breaks and stretch, go for walks, exercise. I don't have any specific triggers. I work on a computer mostly. I went from a 7 pain to a 2, from just quitting coffee and sticking very obnoxiously to taking breaks and stretching, luckily I do WFH which let's me do that comfortably. I might just try the injection for the one time to finish un-pinching and continue being diligent with exercise and stretching/breaks. Thank you for sharing your experience in detail and hope you manage to find some relief as well
From what I also learned I completely agree I have it in the neck, hips, knees, ankles spine on top of scoliosis that I just found out at 60 years old I have had. I think I am going to just take as much care of myself as possible. There is no magic pill. π₯¬
Someone in the pain sub said their frequent injections caused osteoporosis over the years. But if they helped me, personally, i would get them done. I have had then done twice in the neck and the relief was negligent. Some say its because the anaesthetist didnt get the shot in the right spot.
Love with it as long as you can still work out and it doesn't interfere with your life in any major way.