Offcall Physician Video Op-Ed: Columbus Dr. Nikhil Verma Shares Why America Has a Cortisone Problem

Offcall Team

Do we have a cortisone problem in America?

This week, Dr. Nikhil Verma, founder of Essential Sports & Spine Solutions, asks whether physicians are reaching for corticosteroids too quickly — and what we may be overlooking when we choose the quick fix.

A few highlights he shared with the Offcall community:

— Cortisone can be incredibly effective. But Dr. Verma argues that we reach for it too quickly when pain becomes moderate to severe, and he's concerned about what repeated use may do to the body's natural immune response over time.

— The potential tradeoffs go beyond elevated blood pressure and glucose. He points to effects on sleep, mood, and immune function — and argues that physicians should pay more attention to the systemic consequences of repeated corticosteroid use.

— He's not arguing that cortisone doesn't have a place. An acute flare? An important event? A weekend hike a patient doesn't want to miss? There are times when short-term relief makes sense. It's repeated reliance that concerns him.

His larger message to physicians?

Don't be so quick to reach for medications, injections, and procedures.

Nutrition. Sleep. Stress management. Hydration. Supplements. These interventions may not offer the immediacy of an injection, but Dr. Verma argues they deserve a much bigger role in how we help patients address the underlying causes of pain and inflammation.

Watch Dr. Verma's full video here