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. Inflammation is a process by which the body's white blood cells and chemicals protect the body against infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. This may cause inflammation to work against the body's own tissues and cause damage. Inflammation is characterized by redness, warmth, swelling and pain.