The commonly referred to hormone, short for human adrenal glucocorticoid, mainly includes long-acting dexamethasone, intermediate-acting prednisone and methylprednisolone, and short-acting hydrocortisone. For the treatment of rheumatic diseases, prednisone, which has an intermediate effect, is generally used. The dosage of hormone is also usually calculated as the amount of prednisone. Hormones are used for three main effects: anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-shock. We treat rheumatism by using its powerful anti-inflammatory effect, but this anti-inflammatory effect is different from the inflammation caused by bacterial infection, which is an autoimmune reactive inflammation, while bacterial infection is an inflammation against foreign pathogenic microorganisms, which requires strong antibiotic treatment, or what we usually call anti-inflammatory drugs. From this point of view, the main role of our rheumatologists is to figure out whether the patient has a bacterial inflammation or a non-bacterial inflammation. It seems simple, but it is actually very, very difficult, because it has no specific observable indicators and is mostly an empirical judgment of the physician. Immunoreactive inflammation can be life-threatening to the patient if it is too strong, which is the reason we apply immunosuppression. Therefore, the side effects caused by the application of hormones are insignificant compared to the life-threatening nature of the disease. In fact, the side effects of hormones are not that scary. So why are patients so scared? I think: mainly because doctors overemphasize their side effects. This is because, when I first started studying medicine, my teacher made this drug very clear and concise, while all the other drugs could not be fully explained. In addition, at that time, there was no concept of rheumatic immune disease, much less how to treat it, and relatively little emphasis was placed on its anti-inflammatory effects. The most important thing is that its side effects are visible and palpable, and patients can easily experience them. The other drugs have clear efficacy, while the side effects are invisible. Having said all these, the main point is that patients should treat the side effects of hormones correctly, and doctors have no choice but to give you this medicine, and there is actually no other alternative to it, whether it is the most advanced biological agents or the oldest Chinese herbal medicine. Please ask patients with rheumatic immune diseases who are taking hormones to think twice before considering stopping them!