Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that closely resemble cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal glands produce naturally. Corticosteroids are different from anabolic steroids that some athletes abuse. Some corticosteroid medications include cortisone, prednisone and methylprednisolone.
Prednisone is the most commonly used type of steroid to treat certain rheumatic diseases.
Steroid medications are available in several forms that vary in how easily they dissolve or how long they stay in the body. Examples of local steroid treatments include joint injections, eye drops, ear drops and skin creams. Systemic steroids circulate through the blood stream to various body sites. When possible, local steroid treatments are prescribed instead of systemic steroids. Steroids work by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of the immune system.