Can cortisone injections cause swelling?

Question

Iam 11 weeks post op. Its my third surgery and i have very thick skin and scar tissue appears very easily. I got a cortisone injection today on my nose tip, and above the tip. My doctor said it was a low dos. During the day my nose has swollen more and more, and my tip is extremely big, bigger then before the injection, so my question is will the swelling come down? Or will this swelling stay and more scar tissue will appear? My doctor said I should wait one week before I start to massage it.

Jamil Ahmad, MD · Answer

After any injection, it is possible to have some localized swelling that may take a few days to resolve. The effect of the corticosteroid typically takes about 2-3 weeks and may continue to work for 6-8 weeks after. So it will take a few weeks before you see any decrease in the swelling or scar tissue that was present prior to your injection.

Nana N. Mizuguchi, MD, FACS · Answer

Cortisone injection, in my practice, is used for hypertrophic or keloid scarring and reduction in inflammation. These type of scars are indicative of over-stimulation of collagen. Cortisone is injected to slow collenogenesis and decrease inflammation. A decline in reddness is also noted if discoloraton has occurred. The area injected may be swollen for a few minutes. Following the initial edema and absorption of the fluid, the tissue should not be more swollen than pre-injection. After a few days, the inflammation for which one is treating, should begin to diminish. Results are exptected to last weeks, or hopefully forever.

Can cortisone injections cause swelling?

Answers (2)