Hello - Greetings from Alaska....

Where is your doctor going to give you the shot? At the lower back or at your hip?

I have had cortisone shots in my lower back, left hip (SI joint) and in my shoulder.

From my experience - when I was getting the combo shot (cortisone and longer lasting steriod and lindocaine) at my lower back - the lindocaine worked for the immediate and for about 3 hours afterwards. I was told that it will take a week or so for the cortisone to start working in that area (needs to be absorbed) but I did not notice any marked improvement with my pain. (L5-L3 herniation, L-5 osteophytes, L-5/S1 stenosis, Neural foramal stenosis).

Now I have had them injected into the hip and that did offer some relief and after about a week - I noticed improvement in my walking for about 3 months. Improvement but no total pain relief.

I noticed that the longer I had the shots - over 2 years in my shoulder the shots would lose their effectiveness....before I had my shoulder surgery I was barely getting one month of relief from the shots. They could only be given in 3 month intervals.

Let me know whether this helped or not.

Take care
Kim