06/04/2026
Regenerative/traditional injections vs corticosteroids for pain relief/anti-inflammatory properties?
What’s the difference? What do you know about it?
The ultimate debate. Regenerative medicine has come a long way in recent years, and corticosteroids have become less popular among both vets and clients alike. It’s important though to understand why your vet may recommend one or the other to you during an appointment.
Corticosteroids posses a strong anti-inflammatory effect. It provides quick and powerful pain relief and in the instance of inflammatory lesions and certain soreness situations, steroids can provide relief both from pain and inflammation.
Corticosteroids are different synthetic drugs and can’t all be looped together. (triamcinolone acetate (TCA), methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), and betamethasone acetate) each one has different effects on the body. Research indicates that TCA protects cartilage and MPA can reduce signs of joint inflammation, and improvements in lameness have been observed with both.
Repeated injections of corticosteroids has suggested deleterious effects on cartilage. Corticosteroids can move from joint spaces to surrounding soft tissues and have been shown to delay healing, so they should not be used in horses with soft tissue injury. The pain relief may also pose the risk of worsening an active injury. It’s important to know about corticosteroids and their functions, and to note that they’re not inherently bad.
Regenerative and traditional injections have come a long way in recent years, with many options for owners and vets alike to choose from that provide ranges in cost. Some regenerative injections need longer to take effect, while others may provide support much sooner.
There are lots of injection options you can ask your vet about:
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
IRAP
Pro-Stride (APS)
Renovo (Amniotic Tissue Allografts)
Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
Alpha
Alpha2EQ
Polyglycan
Polyacrylamides (Synthetic biocompatible hydrogels), such as:
Arthamid
Noltrex
There are also systemic injectables like Adequan or Osphos to support the whole body.
At the end of the day what your horse needs, timeline, work demands, injuries, etc will all determine what may work best for your horse. Don’t be afraid to ask your vet questions, a good equine vet will go over all options for you and together find out what is best for you, your horse, and your budget.
