All about oral steroids

Steroids have different names like cortisone or corticosteroids and are chemicals that occur naturally in the body. Steroids are used in treating inflammations, hold back body's resistance and are similar to natural hormones that are produced in the body but are produced artificially to gain necessities.

Now day's innumerable steroids are available in the market. Few are considered legal where as few others are banned. Steroids are available in the form of pills, powders, syrups, creams, ointments, patches and in the form of injections. Steroids that are consumed by mouth are known as oral steroids.

Certain steroids are used to treat medicinal issues and physician may advise up to three weeks of steroid oral medication to patients. Some steroids have greater risk of side effects. Corticosteroids are used widely in medicine field to treat diseases. Few may experience side effects with steroid medication and patients should not stop using steroid medication completely once after recommended time even side effects persist. Steroid usage should be gradually reduced by lowering dosages and it is better to take physician's advice regarding persistent side effects.

Most commonly used steroids by athletes, sports persons and body builders are anabolic steroids and they are way different from corticosteroids. Oral steroids are manufactured by different companies and are called with different names. Most commonly used anabolic and oral steroid is prednisolone. Oral steroids are widely prescribed by physicians to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, autoimmune diseases like hepatitis, allergies of different types and joint muscle pains. Few asteroids are considered effective to treat cancer and are also advised to the people who have very low natural steroid and hormone levels in the body.

Here are few points regarding oral steroids-

• Steroids when used in moderation do not cause any side effects.
• When steroids are used to treat respiratory diseases like asthma, one to two weeks is advised by the doctor and do not cause any side effects during that duration.
• Side effects are caused due to prolonged use of steroids.
• Dosages should not be increased without consulting physician since it ups the risk of serious side effects.
• Few diseases require higher dosage of steroids to treat effectively.
• The duration of the treatment may vary from person to person and their diseases.

Side effects of oral steroids

• Always information regarding possible side effects should be read before using steroids.
• Altered dosages of steroids cause osteoporosis and patient should be treated with other alternative medicine to avoid such side effects.
• Few people gain weight and end up with swollen face as part of side effect.
• Chances of contracting infections are very high since steroids lower the immune system.
• Steroid usage can also trigger blood pressure.
• People who are suffering from diabetes should treat properly since the chances of high blood sugar levels are high.
• Few people with sensitive skin may experience rashes and bruises as a result of steroid side effect.
• Many people experience mood swings like depression, mental health problems and increased aggression and irritation.
• The mental health issues may even occur after stopping steroid medication.