Other studies have shown the benefit of spinal injections, but enough have reached similar conclusions to say that an injection of steroids does little to address the underlying cause of the pain.
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A new study points out that steroid shots temporarily alleviate lower back pain. The researchers add further that the injections do not offer any significant relief from paint on account of narrowing of space around the spinal cord. It seems regular epidural steroid injections are not the surgery-free solution most believe it to be.
Researchers have said that epidural steroid injections are quite frequently used for treating lower back pain that is related to herniated disk (when intervertebral disks compressed or bulges up) and to some extent spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). In the treatment of radiculopathy, epidural steroid injections were associated with greater immediate improvement in pain intensity scores compared with placebo (weighted mean difference [WMD] -7.55; 95%CI -11.4 to -3.74). So, people may still opt for steroid injections as pain relievers even though they are short-lived and the reduction of pain is relatively small.
Dr. Roger Chou, field expert from Oregon Health & Science University (Portland), and his colleagues have tried to clarify the matter by looking at 63 previously published reports on the topic of epidural steroid injections and their success in providing relief to patients with lower back pain. But the benefits were not present with longer-term follow up. However, after that initial period, the steroid shots provided no significant advantage over placebos in terms of controlling pain intensity or increasing a patient’s ability to function.
But the good news is that very few of the subjects experienced serious complications because of the treatment.
Dr. Chou added that every patient is entitled to know the truth about the procedure and make an informed decision.
Chicago-based Dr. Zack McCormick, specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, said that Chou’s studies weren’t relevant. Minor complications however included bleeding, blood clots and irritation of nerve root.
Chou said, “Patients may have a perception that these injections reduce the need for surgery or result in long-term benefits”. Dr. Nick Shamie, a professor of orthopedic spine surgery at the Los Angeles School of Medicine, states that the cost is not worth it and surgery is still the best treatment.
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The popularity of epidural steroid injections has grown along the years, and it’s widely considered to be due to the general fear of the population of going under the knife in an operating room.
