It is the oral steroids that are actually worse. The injectables are not that bad. I have been receiving injections since 2000. However, not every month; maybe 3 times a year. I had a nuclear bone scan done over the winter which was fine other than OA which I already had to begin with. And a bone density scan which was fine as well. The thing is...you gotta do what you gotta do. The injections and I think people keep forgetting are DIAGNOSTIC as well as therapeutic. Very, very rarely will they continue to give them in the same spot as in "pain management". For me it was injections and then fusions and then facet injections for the lumbar; only twice and then an RF. I try to stay clear of the oral steroids as in the Dosepaks. Only twice have I had HAD to take that. But to be honest it is the injections that have kept me from taking handfuls of meds. Anyway, I DID ask the question if injections worsen OA and they do not. Actually, there is very, very little steroid used and some injections are just numbing agents as in a diagnostic test. It is just that there are times that getting the steroid right where it needs to go is absolutely necessary. I have yet to meet a PM who will give injections just for pain. Mine have never done that. As I said, diagnostic and therapeutic and then they take it from there. I do believe if you had injections every month for years and years, yes there would probably be a problem.