Will Steroid Injections REALLY Help Your Back Feel Better?
The New York Times recently published a brief article on their Well Blog that discussed a recent systematic review that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that reviewed the efficacy of the very commonly utilized treatment for lower back pain. The review, performed by Roger Chou MD, stated that it came about because of the increase in the usage of corticosteroid injections in the treatment of lower back pain. So what do you think that the review showed?
The findings of the systematic review showed that the injections provided short term, immediate reductions in pain, when dealing with radicular pain (pain that radiates down your leg). BUT it had little to no impact in the long term outcomes of this condition. The review also looked at the impact that injections can have on the symptoms of spinal stenosis. According to Dr. Chou, there was "no effectiveness."
So, you have to ask yourself a serious question...
Is it worth the risk to have these procedures performed?
I know what my answer is...
Would you like to read the summary of Dr. Chou's review?
Click This Link
The findings of the systematic review showed that the injections provided short term, immediate reductions in pain, when dealing with radicular pain (pain that radiates down your leg). BUT it had little to no impact in the long term outcomes of this condition. The review also looked at the impact that injections can have on the symptoms of spinal stenosis. According to Dr. Chou, there was "no effectiveness."
So, you have to ask yourself a serious question...
Is it worth the risk to have these procedures performed?
I know what my answer is...
Would you like to read the summary of Dr. Chou's review?
Click This Link
Movement is my Medicine,
