Corticosteroids, often known as steroids, are an anti-inflammatory medicine. They’re prescribed for a wide range of conditions.
They’re a synthetic version of hormones, normally produced by the adrenal glands (2 small glands that sit on top of the kidneys).
Corticosteroids are mainly used to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.
They’re used to treat conditions like:
Corticosteroids can also be used to replace certain hormones that aren’t naturally produced by the body. This is the case in people with Addison’s disease.
Corticosteroids are available in different forms, including:
Visit our self-help guide on accessing medicines if you have difficulty getting the medicines you need.
For most people, steroid inhalers and steroid injections shouldn’t cause any bad side effects. Steroid tablets are generally prescribed with more caution, as these may cause more problems.
Let your pharmacist or GP know if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to steroids.
Corticosteroid tablets are the most powerful type of steroid medication. This is because they can affect the whole body.
They shouldn’t be used if you have an ongoing widespread infection. This is because they could make it more severe. However, you should continue to take corticosteroids if you develop an infection whilst taking them. This is unless you’re advised otherwise.
Steroid tablets should be used with caution in people with:
They should also be used with caution in people with certain health conditions, including:
In these situations, you will only be prescribed oral corticosteroids if the benefits of treatment outweigh any potential risks.
Most people can safely have corticosteroid injections. However, they should be avoided or used with caution if you have an ongoing infection or a blood clotting disorder (like haemophilia).
There’s generally no reason why someone shouldn’t be able to use a steroid inhaler or steroid spray. However, these should be used with caution in people with ongoing infections, like tuberculosis (TB).
You may be given a steroid card from your healthcare professional. This’ll depend on the dose and how long you take the steroid for.
It’s the same size as a bank card and may be blue or red. This is a card which lets healthcare professionals and emergency workers know you are prescribed a steroid and has the details of your medicine and dose. It’s useful to keep this with you.
Corticosteroids are generally safe to use during pregnancy. However, they’re not usually recommended unless the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
Steroid tablets may be recommended if you’re pregnant and have severe asthma. This is because the risk to your baby from uncontrolled asthma is higher than from the medication.
There’s no evidence to suggest that using a steroid inhaler during pregnancy increases the risk of problems like birth defects. You can usually continue to use this as normal while you’re pregnant.
If a woman needs to take steroid tablets whilst she is breastfeeding, prednisolone is usually recommended. Steroid injections, inhalers and sprays aren’t thought to pose a risk to babies being breastfed.
The recommended course of treatment largely depends on weighing up the benefits of corticosteroids against the side effects.
If your illness is severe and corticosteroids are effective, treatment will often continue. However, continued treatment will not be recommended if:
There aren’t usually any severe side effects if you take steroid injections, a steroid inhaler, or a short course of steroid tablets. However, prolonged treatment at high doses can cause problems in some people.
Corticosteroids are powerful medications that can sometimes have side effects.
The risk of experiencing side effects depends on:
Please take time to read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. Discuss any concerns or queries with your Pharmacist or GP.
Inhaled steroids usually have few or no side effects if used at normal doses. However, they can sometimes cause:
Rinsing your mouth out with water after using your medication can help to prevent oral thrush. Using a device called a spacer with your medication can help to prevent many of the other problems.
There’s some evidence that steroid inhalers used by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can increase the risk of chest infections like pneumonia. Discuss this with your health professional if you’re concerned.
A high dose of inhaled steroids can sometimes cause more serious side effects but this is rare.
Steroids that are injected into muscles and joints may cause some pain and swelling at the site of the injection. However, this should pass within a few days.
Steroid injections can also cause muscle or tendon weakness. This means you may be advised to rest the treated area for a few days after the injection. Other possible side effects in the area where the injection is given can include:
Steroid injections are often only given at intervals of at least 6 weeks. A maximum of 3 injections into one area is usually recommended.
Steroids that are injected into a blood vessel (intravenous steroids) may cause more widespread side effects.
Steroid tablets that are taken for a short period of time are unlikely to cause side effects.
It’s sometimes necessary for steroid tablets to be taken for longer periods. In these cases, you may be more likely to develop troublesome side effects. However, this is not inevitable.
Steroid tablets taken for longer than 3 weeks can cause:
If you need to take steroid tablets on a long-term basis, you may have regular checks and tests for conditions like:
If you have troublesome side effects, don’t stop taking your medication until your doctor says it’s safe to do so. This is because you may experience withdrawal effects.
Your dose may need to be reduced slowly over a few weeks or months. If you’ve been taking corticosteroids for a while, you may also need tests before you stop taking them. These will make sure that your adrenal glands are still working properly.
Corticosteroids can interact with other medicines. This means that the effects of either medicine can be altered.
There is less chance of this happening with steroid injections or sprays. However, it can occasionally happen if they’re used at high doses and for a long time.
If you want to check that your medicines are safe to take with your medication, ask your Pharmacist or GP.
Anticoagulant medicines are medications that make the blood less sticky. They’re often prescribed to people with a history of blood clots or an increased risk of developing them.
Combining corticosteroids with anticoagulant medicines can sometimes make anticoagulants less effective. Alternatively, it can increase their blood-thinning effect.
Anticonvulsants are medicines used to prevent seizures (fits). They’re often used to treat epilepsy.
Anticonvulsants can reduce the effectiveness of corticosteroids. This means you may be advised to stop taking anticonvulsants whilst you’re taking corticosteroids. This will depend on:
Corticosteroids can decrease the effectiveness of medications used to treat diabetes.
If you need to take medication for diabetes with corticosteroids, your blood glucose levels will usually need to be checked more regularly. Your dose of diabetes medication may then need to be adjusted.
Corticosteroids can sometimes interact with a type of medication known as protease inhibitors (like ritonavir). These are used to treat HIV.
The HIV medication may increase the level of corticosteroid in your body. This might increase your risk of experiencing side effects.
Some vaccinations contain a weakened form of the infection they are designed to protect against. These are known as live vaccines. Examples of live vaccines include:
Corticosteroids can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to infection. This means you should avoid any live vaccine until at least 3 months after your course of corticosteroids has finished.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of commonly used painkillers. Some, like ibuprofen, are available over the counter.
Combining NSAIDs and corticosteroids can increase your risk of developing:
If you need to take both medications, you may be given a medication called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). This helps to reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.
Last updated:
15 November 2023