Hi, thank you for your question.
Steroids are man-made drugs that are used to treat a lot of inflammatory conditions. Inflammation is a process in which your body releases white blood cells and other chemical substances, in order to protect your body against infection and foreign organisms like bacteria and viruses.

Symptoms of inflammation include redness, swelling, warmth, pain and stiffness. But, sometimes your immune system may become overactive and do not function properly. As a result, immune system fail to recognise your body’s own tissues and target them as non-self, causing inflammation and tissue damage. In cases like these, steroids can be used to reduce production of inflammatory chemicals to minimise damage to tissues.

They can also reduce the activity of the immune system by affecting the function of white blood cells.
In arthritis, steroids can be very helpful when inflammation becomes so serious that it may damage your joints. Steroids can provide significant relief from stiffness and pain, and preserve joint structure in people with arthritis when taken at low doses. Besides, they can also help patients recover from severe flare-ups of arthritis when taken at high doses.

However, high doses of steroids should only be taken for a short period of time and under close monitoring of your doctor. In general, steroids may help to improve quality of life and allow patients to perform activities of daily living independently when they have bad arthritis.

Side effects of steroids can be minimized if these guidelines are followed. Use steroids only when necessary and use the lowest dose possible. Monitor closely for side effects. Take supplements like calcium and vitamin D while on steroids and remember to go for bone density scans regularly.

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