What Is Celestone Soluspan? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

Celestone Soluspan is an injectable corticosteroid that has been used in medical practice since 1963. Despite its long history, many patients encounter it for the first time when a provider recommends a corticosteroid injection for joint pain, inflammation, or another condition — and find themselves with questions. This guide answers the most important ones: what it is, what it treats, how it works, and what to expect.

What Is Celestone Soluspan?

Celestone Soluspan is the brand name for a combination injectable suspension containing two forms of the corticosteroid betamethasone:

• Betamethasone sodium phosphate (3 mg/mL): A water-soluble form that is quickly absorbed, providing rapid anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects beginning within hours.
• Betamethasone acetate (3 mg/mL): A slightly soluble depot (long-acting) form that is slowly absorbed from the injection site, providing sustained anti-inflammatory action lasting days to weeks.

This dual-component design makes Celestone Soluspan uniquely effective — it provides both immediate relief and prolonged treatment in a single injection. The total betamethasone concentration is 6 mg/mL, supplied as a sterile aqueous suspension in 5 mL multi-dose vials. It is manufactured by Organon (formerly Merck/Schering-Plough) and has FDA-approved generic equivalents.

What Is Celestone Soluspan Used For?

Celestone Soluspan has a broad range of FDA-approved indications, organized by the route of administration:

When given by intramuscular (IM) injection:

• Severe allergic conditions: asthma, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, drug hypersensitivity, allergic rhinitis, serum sickness, transfusion reactions
• Serious skin conditions: bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, exfoliative erythroderma, pemphigus, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, mycosis fungoides
• Endocrine disorders: congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hypercalcemia associated with cancer, nonsuppurative thyroiditis
• Nervous system: acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral edema
• Neoplastic diseases (leukemias, lymphomas) — for palliative management
• Gastrointestinal: ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis
• Rheumatic disorders when oral therapy is not feasible

When given by intra-articular or soft tissue injection:

• Acute gouty arthritis, bursitis, tenosynovitis, epicondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, synovitis of osteoarthritis

When given by intralesional injection:

• Alopecia areata, keloids, discoid lupus erythematosus, granuloma annulare, lichen planus, psoriatic plaques, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum

Celestone Soluspan Dosage

Celestone Soluspan dosing is highly individualized based on condition, route, and patient factors. General ranges established in the FDA-approved labeling include:

• Intramuscular (systemic): 0.25 to 9.0 mg per day; adjusted based on disease severity and patient response
• Intra-articular: 0.5 to 2.0 mL per joint (3–12 mg betamethasone)
• Intrabursal: 1.0 mL per injection for acute bursitis
• Intralesional: 0.2 mL/cm² of lesion (up to 1.0 mL/week for keloids and other lesions)
• MS acute exacerbations: 30 mg/day x 1 week, then 12 mg every other day x 1 month
• Pediatric: 0.02 to 0.3 mg/kg/day in 3–4 divided doses (0.6–9 mg/m²/day)

Is Celestone Soluspan a Controlled Substance?

No. Celestone Soluspan is not a DEA-scheduled controlled substance. It is a prescription-only medication, but it does not require special DEA registration or the prescribing restrictions that apply to opioids or benzodiazepines. Any licensed prescriber with authority to write prescriptions can prescribe it.

What to Tell Your Provider Before Receiving Celestone Soluspan

Before your first Celestone Soluspan injection, inform your provider about:

• All medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you take
• Diabetes (blood sugar management may need adjustment)
• Any current or recent infections
• History of tuberculosis, fungal infections, chickenpox, or shingles
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Any history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) — IM administration is contraindicated

If you need to find Celestone Soluspan at a pharmacy near you before your appointment, medfinder can help you locate which pharmacies have it in stock.