Steroid Injections Specialist

Chicagoland Foot and Ankle

Board Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists & Surgeons located in Beverly/Mt. Greenwood, Portage Park Chicago, IL & Orland Park, IL & New Lenox, IL

Steroid injections are a dependable way to ease many kinds of foot and ankle pain. They work by relieving localized inflammation, which reduces your pain and allows your body to start the healing process. At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, the board-certified podiatrists offer comprehensive care, from non-surgical treatments like injections to advanced care like surgery. There are offices in the Beverly/Mt. Greenwood and Portage Park areas of Chicago, as well as Orland Park and New Lenox, Illinois, so schedule your appointment online or call your nearest office today.

Steroid Injections Q&A

What are steroid injections?

Steroid injections, also called cortisone or corticosteroid injections, are a foot and ankle pain treatment. A steroid injection can ease pain, relieve stiffness, and improve your foot or ankle function.

Steroid injections last much longer than oral drugs and may allow you to reduce or discontinue oral medication. In some cases, steroid injections can even help you delay or avoid surgery.

What conditions do steroid injections treat?

The Chicagoland Foot and Ankle team may recommend steroid injections if you have refractory foot or ankle pain that doesn't get better with treatments like custom orthotics, oral medication, topical medication, or physical therapy.

Some common examples of foot and ankle conditions that might require steroid injections are:

Plantar fasciitis
Ankle arthritis
Gout
Bursitis
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Haglund's deformity (pump bump)
Morton’s neuroma
Hammertoe
Bunion

Steroid injections may also help with some other types of foot and ankle pain. If you need a long-lasting pain relief option for any type of musculoskeletal foot or ankle pain, the Chicagoland Foot and Ankle team may recommend steroid injections.

Are steroid injections dangerous?

No. When used as part of your foot or ankle pain treatment and administered by a board-certified podiatrist, steroid injections are very safe.

The podiatrists at Chicagoland Foot and Ankle use ultrasound or X-ray guidance to position the medication precisely for maximum reliability.

The injected steroids are a synthetic duplicate of a steroid that you produce naturally. Corticosteroids are completely different from the illegal anabolic steroids that some athletes use to build strength and speed.

The experienced Chicagoland Foot and Ankle team carefully regulates the amount of steroids injected, and the medication affects only the immediate treatment area for maximum safety.

What do steroid injections feel like?

Steroid injections require only a very small needle. This allows for highly precise medication placement and also means the injection is virtually painless.

After your injection, you might have a temporary pain flare-up for a day or two. But, after that, the pain, stiffness, and range-of-motion issues usually ease significantly.

How long do steroid injections last?

Steroid injection longevity varies by patient and condition, but most patients experience several months, and possibly up to nine months, of pain relief.

Want to learn more about steroid injections for foot or ankle pain? Call Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, or schedule a consultation online.

What we offer