Corticosteroids are different from the male hormone-related steroid compounds that some athletes abuse.
Steroids work by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of the immune system.
Steroids are used to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases and conditions. Steroid medications are available in several forms that vary in how easily they dissolve or how long they stay in the body. Injecting steroids into one or two local areas of inflammation allows doctors to deliver a high dose of medication directly to the problem area. When doctors give steroids by mouth or intravenously, they cannot be sure an adequate amount of the steroid will eventually reach the problem area. Steroids are often injected directly into joints to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout or other inflammatory diseases.