Ask the doctor: Should I be worried about the side effects from cortisone shots?
But it's important to put these problems in perspective. The evidence of adverse effects on bone is from oral corticosteroids, acting throughout the body, not local injections. In fact, cortisone injections may help protect your knee's cartilage and bone by quieting inflammation, which can erode those tissues. The infection risk is real, but it's also pretty remote.
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