Cortisone Shots: Uses, Side Effects, Cost & More - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeWhat Should You Know About Cortisone Shots?

Medically reviewed by Angela M. Bell, MD, FACP — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on September 2, 2025

Function
Uses
Risks
Side effects
Cost
Procedure
Supplementary treatments
Alternatives
When to seek medical help
Takeaway

Cortisone shots can help relieve joint inflammation. You may experience minor side effects.

Cortisone shots are injections that help relieve pain and inflammation in your joints, muscles, or connective tissue. They’re commonly used to manage symptoms of painful inflammatory conditions, such as:

arthritis
bursitis
tendonitis
sports injuries
back pain
gout

Cortisone shots are fast-acting and can provide significant short-term pain relief for weeks to months. Although cortisone shots are generally safe, they do come with some potential risks.

Keep reading for an overview of everything you should know about cortisone shots.

How do cortisone shots work?

A cortisone shot helps relieve pain by reducing inflammation in a specific part of your body. The cortisone is delivered into the affected area with a thin needle.

Cortisone is a type of molecule known as a corticosteroid, a precursor to the hormone cortisol. Your adrenal gland produces cortisol and plays many roles in your body, including suppressing the activity of your immune system.

Inflammation is your immune system’s way of protecting your body from injuries, foreign substances, or anything else potentially damaging. Inflammation releases various substances, including the hormones bradykinin and histamine. These hormones irritate nerves and send pain signals to your brain.

A cortisone shot reduces the levels of molecules that stimulate inflammation. This can improve joint function and reduce nerve stimulation, which leads to pain.

These shots often take effect within a few days, though some can be effective within a few hours, and can provide pain relief for up to several months, depending on:

the part of your body treated
the dose you receive
your individual response to the shot

What do cortisone shots treat?

Cortisone and other corticosteroid shots are used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions involving joints, muscles, or connective tissues.

Shoulder pain

Corticosteroid injections can cause short-term improvements in frozen shoulder and shoulder impingements.

A 2015 study in American Family Physician found that over a period of 8 to 16 weeks, corticosteroid injections are more effective for managing frozen shoulder than oral corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and physical therapy.

However, the study found that the outcome between groups wasn’t significant after a year.

Osteoarthritis

Cortisone shots are often used to treat knee or hip osteoarthritis.

For the knee, pain relief typically lasts for 1 to 2 weeks but may last up to 4 weeks.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of your median nerve that often causes tingling or pain in your hand.

A 2017 review of studies suggests that corticosteroids can lead to short-term relief in about 45 out of 100 people.

Trigger finger

Trigger finger is the locking of a finger caused by inflammation of the tendons.

The 2015 study mentioned earlier found 54 to 86 percent cure rates after corticosteroid injections.

Bursitis

Bursitis is inflammation of small fluid-filled sacs called bursae found around your joints.

Cortisone injections may help reduce this inflammation temporarily. Corticosteroid injections for the bursa around the head of your femur provide greater pain relief at 6 weeks and 3 months than physical therapy and pain relievers, but not after one year.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune type of arthritis in which the body’s immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and joint damage. A doctor may prescribe corticosteroid injections in the short term to relieve a flare-up, but they are not recommended as a long-term treatment.

Gout

Gout is a condition caused by an excess of uric acid in the body that causes intense pain in the extremities. Doctors may recommend corticosteroids as an alternative if NSAIDs or colchicine prove ineffective against gout pain.

Are there any risks with cortisone shots?

Cortisone can travel into your bloodstream and cause full-body side effects.

According to a 2019 review of studies, the amount of cortisone absorbed into the blood seems to vary significantly between people. However, both joint and epidural injections can have effects that last for weeks.

There’s also some evidence from a 2020 study that a single shot can increase your risk of developing infectious diseases, such as the flu.

In rare cases, an improperly performed injection can lead to nerve damage.

Are there any side effects from cortisone shots?

The most common side effects of steroid injections include:

short-term pain around the injection site, also called a cortisone flare
bruising or dimples at the injection site
pale or thin skin around the injection
facial flushing
insomnia
temporary high blood sugar
temporary high blood pressure
increased appetite

Rarer but potentially serious side effects include:

infection
allergic reaction
weakened tendons
bone mineral loss
secondary adrenal insufficiency
abnormal heart rate
vision changes
seizures

How much does a cortisone shot cost?

Cortisone shots typically cost roughly $100 to $300, but can be more than $1,000. Your insurance may cover some or all of the cost.

The exact cost that you pay out of pocket for a cortisone shot varies widely between clinics and depends on:

the clinic you visit
where you live
what type of shot you get

Medicare reports that patients pay an average of $84 for injections of therapeutic substances, such as cortisone, when performed at a non-hospital facility. The average price at a hospital is $146.

What’s the procedure for a cortisone shot?

Here’s what you can expect when you get a cortisone injection:

Depending on what part of your body is being treated, you may be asked to change into a hospital gown.
A doctor or specialist will clean the area around the injection site with alcohol wipes and wait for the alcohol to dry.
The doctor or specialist will likely apply a numbing agent or an anesthetic to numb the pain.
They will make an injection with a thin needle. You may feel some pressure, but most people don’t experience a significant amount of discomfort or pain.

Are there supplementary treatments for cortisone shots?

Supplementary treatment options vary depending on your particular issue. Some options may include:

physical therapy
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
muscle relaxers
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
lifestyle measure, such as managing your diet or weight
surgery

Are there alternatives to cortisone shots?

A doctor may be able to recommend alternative treatments for your condition. For some issues like chronic knee pain, surgery may be the best option.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is an experimental treatment that may help you manage joint pain. More research is needed to understand their potential benefit.

Hyaluronic injections are also sometimes used to treat knee osteoarthritis when cortisone shots aren’t effective.

When should I call a doctor?

Serious side effects are uncommon, but you should let a doctor know if you experience anything out of the ordinary, such as:

increased pain
fatigue
changes in skin color around the injection site

It’s also a good idea to let a doctor know if you haven’t noticed any improvements so that they can modify or change your treatment.

Seek emergency medical attention if you experience concerning symptoms such as:

signs of an allergic reaction
trouble breathing or swallowing
confusion or cognitive changes
seizures
vision problems
fever or chills

The takeaway

Cortisone shots are used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions affecting joints or other parts of the musculoskeletal system. They’re generally safe, but they can cause side effects that affect either the treated area or the whole body.

Discuss the pros and cons with a doctor beforehand. Depending on your condition, alternative treatment options may have fewer side effects or be cheaper.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: How effective are steroids? (2024).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279598/
Cortisone. (n.d.).https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cortisone
Foster ZJ, et al. (2015). Corticosteroid injections for common musculoskeletal conditions.https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/1015/p694.html
In brief: What is an inflammation? (2025).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/
Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s). (n.d.).https://www.medicare.gov/procedure-price-lookup/cost/62323/
McKean D, et al. (2020). Corticosteroid injections during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from a UK centre.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7659632/
Miller DC, et al. (2020). Corticosteroid injections and COVID-19 infection risk.https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/21/8/1703/5875235
Steroids. (2025).https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/steroids/
Stout A, et al. (2019). Systemic absorption and side effects of locally injected glucocorticoids.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pmrj.12042

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Medically reviewed by Angela M. Bell, MD, FACP — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on September 2, 2025

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