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Friday, January 05, 2007
Frozen Shoulder - Taking Steroids by Mouth
A new review of the evidence has been undertaken to assess whether those with frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis might benefit from a short course of oral steroid tablets.
The studies tested people who had adhesive capsulitis for about 6 months.
They were given no treatment, fake treatments, steroid injections or oral steroids.
Oral steroids, such as prednisolone or cortisone were given for about 3 to 4 weeks, and sometimes again for another 3 to 4 weeks if people still had pain and stiffness. All people had physiotherapy or an exercise programme while taking the steroids.
Benefits of oral steroids for adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder
In people with adhesive capsulitis, at 3 weeks, oral steroids may work more than fake pills:
Oral Steroids may decrease pain and disability more than fake pills - the studies show that pain may decrease by 2.7 more points on a scale of 0 to 10 with steroids
Researchers also found that disability may decrease by 18 more points on a scale of 0 to 100 with steroids and that oral steroid tablets may increase the ability to move the shoulder more than fake pills - shoulder movement increased by 23 degrees
But these benefits did not last as long as 6 weeks so there is not enough evidence to be certain of the results beyond 3 weeks.
Oral steroids may also improve pain earlier and quicker than no treatment at all. But after 5 months there were no benefits of oral steroids over no treatment. There is also not enough evidence to be certain of the results.
Harms of oral steroids
In people with adhesive capsulitis who have no serious other problems, taking oral steroids for a short time may not cause serious side effects. But there is not enough evidence to be certain. Other research about steroids taken over longer periods of time shows that harms could include high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Read more about frozen shoulder treatment
The studies tested people who had adhesive capsulitis for about 6 months.
They were given no treatment, fake treatments, steroid injections or oral steroids.
Oral steroids, such as prednisolone or cortisone were given for about 3 to 4 weeks, and sometimes again for another 3 to 4 weeks if people still had pain and stiffness. All people had physiotherapy or an exercise programme while taking the steroids.
Benefits of oral steroids for adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder
In people with adhesive capsulitis, at 3 weeks, oral steroids may work more than fake pills:
- 48 out of 100 people who took fake pills said they were better
96 out of 100 people who took steroids said they were better
Oral Steroids may decrease pain and disability more than fake pills - the studies show that pain may decrease by 2.7 more points on a scale of 0 to 10 with steroids
Researchers also found that disability may decrease by 18 more points on a scale of 0 to 100 with steroids and that oral steroid tablets may increase the ability to move the shoulder more than fake pills - shoulder movement increased by 23 degrees
But these benefits did not last as long as 6 weeks so there is not enough evidence to be certain of the results beyond 3 weeks.
Oral steroids may also improve pain earlier and quicker than no treatment at all. But after 5 months there were no benefits of oral steroids over no treatment. There is also not enough evidence to be certain of the results.
Harms of oral steroids
In people with adhesive capsulitis who have no serious other problems, taking oral steroids for a short time may not cause serious side effects. But there is not enough evidence to be certain. Other research about steroids taken over longer periods of time shows that harms could include high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Read more about frozen shoulder treatment
Labels: frozen shoulder, shoulder pain, steroid treatment
