Let's say you have a pain in your shoulder. You finally decide you must see the doctor. After an exam, the doc says you have bursitis and need a cortisone injection cause you waited so long to be seen. The doctor takes a syringe with a relatively long needle and jabs you in the shoulder. When I say 'in the shoulder,' that is precisely what I mean--you get the needle in the joint. That's why the needle is long. Then, while the needle is in your shoulder joint, the doctor begins to manipulate it and move it around to find the spot where the pain is. S/he might also move your VERY sore shoulder back and forth in order to get the needle exactly where it is needed. The plunger is pushed and the cortisone goes to the pain. All of this takes a few minutes and is excruciatingly painful.* So tell me, WHY did I ask the doctor for a cortisone injection today?
Okay, truth be told, I DIDN'T have any pain and I had no joint involvement with the injection--I just wanted to get your full, undivided attention. I'm an attention whore, so sue me! :) I had an appointment with my dermatologist and I asked if she could give me cortisone to see if it would help my psoriasis. We decided to try the spot on my ankle and re-evaluate in six weeks to see if we continue. While the injection in no way was as awful as getting one in the joint, it wasn't exactly pleasant, either. First, I got poked six times in the ankle--albeit, just under the skin, but still. Then, while the needle is inserted, the doc wiggled it from side to side a bit in order to distribute the cortisone in as wide an area as possible. EWWWW!!!! While it didn't take all that long for her to do this, I still could have done a lot of things that were more pleasant--like clean a toilet, pick up my cat's hacked-up hairballs, scoop out the litter box. You get my drift. She added an anesthetic to the cortisone in order to numb my ankle, so I am now left with a very funky-feeling leg. I hope this was worth it--we'll see how things look after a few days. All this just so I can wear shorter-length capri pants for the summer. I don't know. I have to decide whether or not I want to get my elbows shot up--but short-sleeved shirts aren't REALLY that important, are they?
*The Mother has had several of the painful cortisone injections, so it is her description that I use here. Thankfully, I have never needed one and hope I never do.
A Visit To The Doc
