Research remains inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of an epidural for low back pain. It really is a case of ‘treating the patient as an individual’ and not just using an epidural as a ‘cure’.
At best an epidural will give temporary pain relief.
What you really need to do is to find out why you got the back problem and address that.
Treatment with a chiropractor can be really helpful at not only relieving the pain but showing you how your Faulty Movement Patterns lead to the pain in the first place and how to correct them.
Some Epidural facts:
- Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are the most widely utilized pain management procedure in the world, their use supported by more than 45 placebo-controlled studies and dozens of systematic reviews.
- Despite the extensive literature on the subject, there continues to be considerable controversy surrounding their safety and efficacy. The results of clinical trials and review articles are heavily influenced by specialty, with those done by interventional pain physicians more likely to yield positive findings.
- When people are carefully selected, it is suggested that there may be a modest effect but this lasts less than 3 months usually.
- Results vary depending on where in the spine the injection is put.
- There are better responses if you have a lumbar herniated disc than spinal stenosis.
- Serious complications are rare following ESIs, provided proper precautions are taken.
Read our other articles on Faulty Movement Patterns to find out how you can prevent back pain…. or call us at the Avenue Clinic for more advice