Today 19 new cases of fungal meningitis have been linked to joint steroid injections in the USA, bringing the total to 233.

Corticosteroid injections are used to help moderate to severe cases of inflammation, and is supposed to mimic the natural anti-inflammatory affects cotisone has when released from the adrenal glands.

However as you may have seen or read it has been linked with the spread of fungal meningitis in America. Everyday this week the numbers of patients effected has been going up and up. It so far has been only been reported in the USA.

However even if this is a one off my one pharmaceutical company or a bad batch of steroid injection. There is more side effects of the steroid injection which you may not be aware of.

1) Destruction of Hyaline Cartilage in the Joint, which with long term steroid use damages this important joint protector and can ultimately cause more damage to inflamed joints.

2) Local infection- with introduction of a bacteria on the needle and puncturing the skin

3)Nerve Damage- particularly with spinal joint injections

Its vital that you exhaust all natural treatment options before you consider any injections or surgery, to any joint of your body.