Shoulder Reliever vs. Cortisone Shots: Which Is Right for You?

By Michael Carroll, M.D., family physician and inventor of the Shoulder Reliever

The short answer

A cortisone (steroid) shot calms inflammation quickly, and it can bring real relief within days. But the relief usually wears off in weeks to a few months, and the shot does not fix what caused the pain. The Shoulder Reliever works more slowly, over several weeks, by strengthening the deep rotator cuff muscles and protecting the shoulder at night, which addresses the cause and can keep the pain from coming back. For many people, the best order is to start with strengthening, and to use a shot only if pain is too severe to do the exercises or to sleep.

Side by side

	Shoulder Reliever	Cortisone shot
How it works	Strengthens the deep rotator cuff muscles by day and keeps the arm at your side at night.	A steroid medicine injected into the shoulder calms inflammation.
How fast it helps	Many people notice better nights in the first weeks; the full program is 40 days.	Often within a few days.
How long it lasts	Builds lasting strength, and you can repeat the routine any time.	Usually weeks to a few months.
Fixes the cause	Works on the muscle imbalance and nighttime pinching behind most rotator cuff pain.	No. It quiets the pain and inflammation, not the cause.
Effects on your body	Strengthens the muscles and tendons of the shoulder.	Reduces inflammation, but can weaken tendons.
Drug-free	Yes.	No.
Possible side effects	Muscle soreness while getting stronger.	A painful flare for a day or two, temporarily higher blood sugar in people with diabetes, skin thinning or lightening at the site, and rarely infection. Repeated shots may weaken tendons.
How often	As often as you need it.	Doctors usually limit the number of shots in the same shoulder.
Where	At home, about 5 minutes a day.	In a doctor's office.
Cost	$189.99, one time. HSA/FSA eligible.	An office visit plus the shot, each time. Often partly covered by insurance.
Lifetime treatment	Yes: the kit is yours to keep and use again any time.	No. Each shot wears off.
Guarantee	60-day money-back guarantee.	None.

What a cortisone shot does, and doesn't do

Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory. Injected into the shoulder, it can settle an angry, swollen tendon or bursa quickly, and for someone in severe pain that can be a big relief. What it does not do is change why the shoulder got irritated in the first place. Most rotator cuff pain comes from weak deep rotator cuff muscles and from the tendon getting pinched, especially at night. When the shot wears off, those problems are still there, and the pain often returns.

Research supports this. In a large randomized trial of people with moderate to severe shoulder pain (Crawshaw and colleagues, BMJ, 2010), adding a steroid injection to an exercise program brought relief sooner, but by 12 weeks people did just as well with exercise alone. The exercise was what made the lasting difference.

When a shot makes sense

Pain is too severe to sleep or to do the exercises. A shot can calm things down enough to start strengthening.
Early frozen shoulder, where calming the inflammation can ease the painful early stage.
Your doctor recommends it for a specific diagnosis after examining you.

If you do get a shot, use the relief it gives you to start strengthening. That is how you keep the pain from coming back when it wears off.

Using them together

You can use the Shoulder Reliever after a cortisone shot. Many people find the weeks after a shot are a good time to start, because the shoulder is calmer and the exercises are easier to do. Check with your doctor about how soon to start exercising after the injection.

When to see a doctor

Your pain started with a fall or an injury, especially if you cannot lift your arm
The arm is getting weaker, not just sore
You have numbness or tingling down the arm, fever, or a red, hot, swollen shoulder
Pain is not improving after several weeks

Common questions

How long does a cortisone shot in the shoulder last?

It varies. Many people get relief for several weeks to a few months. If the underlying weakness and pinching are not addressed, the pain often comes back.

How many cortisone shots can you get in your shoulder?

Doctors usually limit how many shots are given in the same joint, because repeated injections may weaken tendons. Your doctor will decide what is safe for you.

Is it better to try exercise before a cortisone shot?

For most rotator cuff pain, strengthening is the treatment that lasts, so it makes sense to start there. A shot is a reasonable option if the pain is too severe to sleep or to do the exercises.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Individual results vary, and the Shoulder Reliever is not a substitute for medical care. Talk with your doctor about what is right for your shoulder.