The New York Times: Her Wrist Was Swollen and Excruciatingly Painful. Steroids Didn’t Help Much. Topical steroids (Corticosteroids) control inflammation by mimicking naturally occurring corticosteroid hormones produced by our adrenal glands.

Understanding the Context

In addition to reducing inflammation (redness and swelling) in the area that they are applied they also suppress the immune response, reduce cell turnover, and constrict (narrow) blood vessels. Rolling Out: Don’t ignore swollen hands, it might be your body’s signal for help Swollen hands can be a troubling symptom, often indicating an underlying health issue. While occasional mild swelling can be normal, persistent or severe swelling could signal a more serious problem. Don’t ignore swollen hands, it might be your body’s signal for help Many patients who stopped using topical steroids after long-term use are now complaining of painful Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) skin reactions ...

Key Insights

Steroids are hormones that occur naturally in the body. Steroid medicines are man-made and are similar to the natural hormones made in the body. The type of steroids used to treat disease are called corticosteroids. They are different to the anabolic steroids which some athletes and bodybuilders use. Anabolic steroids have very different effects.

Final Thoughts

Oral steroids (sometimes called corticosteroids) are man-made versions of steroid hormones produced by the body. They are taken by the mouth. Written by a GP.