Steroids and HIV Infection

The connection between injection drug use and HIV infection is well known. Sharing injection equipment such as needles and syringes presents a real risk of transmitting HIV as well as Hepatitis C. However, the injection of steroids is often overlooked as a risk behaviour.

Unlike mood-altering drugs, steroids are not perceived as having any health risks and, therefore, the user does not think he/she is in any danger.
Who Uses Steroids?

The majority of users are high school students. Other users may include strip dancers, wrestlers, weight lifters, military personnel and prisoners. The use of anabolic steroids for cosmetic purposes far exceeds their use by athletes for competition. The preferred method of use is by injection rather than by mouth.

Steroid use is a short cut to self-esteem. It needs little investment in energy and its reinforcing results are almost immediate. In a society that places so much value on body image, steroids are seen as a quick and easy response to that pressure.
What Are The Risks?

Most of the negative effects of steroids are due to overuse or misuse. The side effects may include: liver damage, sexual difficulties, aggressive behaviour, depression, acne, muscle spasms and interference with normal growth. Some of the effects are reversible after discontinuing the steroid use. However, the very real health risks are from:

    sharing needles, syringes and vials
    improper injection site
    failure to clean injection site
    failure to ensure the needle is not in a vein or artery

Steroid users must be given the opportunity to decide for themselves the negative aspects of steroid use. Until they are ready to quit, it is essential to help our young people stay alive. Any discussion of HIV/AIDS should ensure that use of steroids is included as a risk behaviour. In addition, information on the proper use of injection equipment must be readily available.

Steroids to Treat Arthritis

What Conditions Are Treated With Steroid Injections?

Steroids often are injected directly into joints to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or other inflammatory diseases. They also can be injected into an inflamed bursa or around tendons near most joints in the body.

Some people report relief from osteoarthritis when steroids are injected directly into swollen or painful joints.

What Are the Expected Benefits of Steroid Injections?

Steroid injections into a specific area are generally well tolerated and are less likely than other forms of steroid drugs to produce serious side effects. Also, the injections may help avoid the need for oral steroids or increased doses of oral steroids, which could have greater side effects.

What Role Do Steroid Injections Play in an Overall Treatment Program?

Steroid injections can be added to a treatment program that may already include anti-inflammatory pain medications (NSAIDs), physical therapy, occupational therapy, or supportive devices such as canes and braces. Whether one or more of these treatment methods are used depends on the nature of the problem.

For example, in an otherwise healthy person, tendinitis may be adequately treated with only a steroid injection into the inflamed area. However, in a person with rheumatoid arthritis, injections are generally a small part of a multifaceted treatment approach.

When Should Steroid Injections Not Be Used?

Steroids should not be injected when there is infection in the area to be targeted or even elsewhere in the body because they could inhibit the natural infection-fighting immune response. Also, if a joint is already severely destroyed, injections are not likely to provide any benefit.

If someone has a potential bleeding problem or is taking anticoagulants (often referred to as blood thinners), steroid injections may cause bleeding at the site. For these people, injections are given with caution.

Frequent steroid injections, more often than every three or four months, are not recommended because of an increased risk of weakening tissues in the treated area.

How are viral diseases treated?

Treatment of viral infections varies depending on the specific virus and other factors. General treatment measures are aimed at relieving your symptoms so that you can get the rest you need to keep up your strength and recover without developing complications.

General treatments for viral infections include:

    Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) for fever, body aches, and pain

    Drinking extra fluids

    Getting extra rest and sleep

    Maintaining good nutrition

Depending on the type of viral infection and the presence of complications, a wide variety of other treatments may be needed. For example, a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that leads to cervical dysplasia can be treated by surgical removal of the abnormal cells on a woman’s cervix.  

In general, it is recommended that children younger than age six not use cold or cough medications because of the risk for serious side effects. In addition, people with a viral disease should not use aspirin or products that contain aspirin because of the risk of developing a rare but life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome. Reye syndrome has been linked to taking aspirin during a viral illness, such as a cold or the flu.
Prescription medications used to treat viral diseases

In some cases, certain medications may be prescribed to treat viral diseases:

    Antiretroviral medications, which can help people with HIV/AIDS lead longer lives. Antiretroviral medications hinder the ability of HIV to reproduce, which slows the spread of HIV in the body.

    Antiviral drugs, which minimize the severity and length of some viral infections, such as the flu and shingles, especially in people who are at a high risk for serious complications. For example, the drugs oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu) and zanamivir (brand name Relenza) may be prescribed for some cases of flu. These drugs are not appropriate for all people with the flu.

Antibiotics, which are not prescribed for viral diseases because they are ineffective in the treatment of viral infections, may be prescribed if a person with a viral disease develops a secondary bacterial infection, such as bacterial pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis, or encephalitis.
Complementary treatments

Complementary and traditional treatments will not cure a viral disease but may help to increase comfort, promote rest, and minimize symptoms of viral diseases.