Can I try steroid injections?

I have been suffering from pains in my knee and hip joints for a long time. A friend suggested I try having the doctor to inject steroids into the diseased joints. Kindly advise me on this line of therapy.

Samuel (by SMS)

In treating painful arthritis of the joints, doctors usually recommend lifestyle changes and oral medications. However, when these are not sufficient to combat the problem, doctors often prescribe corticosteroid injections to treat painful knees or hips. But according new findings by medical experts, even though corticosteroid shots are widely used to reduce inflammation and lessen pain in knee and hip joints, their prolonged use have also been found to accelerate arthritis even as it removes pain. For this reason, it will advisable for you to seek medical advice before commencing the medication.

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