The Last Shot For Back Pain Treatment

For the millions suffering from back pain, finding relief can be difficult. From over-the-counter medicine to exercise and physical therapy, many patients feel like all treatments have been tried. Despite the effort, back pain can still linger on, preventing men and women from living pain-free lives. So what else can back pain sufferers do? Doctors recommend steroid injections. These shots can make a difference in pain management.

City place surgery center How Can Steroid Injections Reduce Lower Back Pain Pain Management Options

What goes into steroid injections?

Steroid injections are a minimally invasive procedure used for lower back pain. Persons may suffer from back pain for several reasons. For instance, the spine may have a herniated disc that presses on surrounding nerves. There could be degenerative disc disease, sciatica, or spinal stenosis. These conditions cause long-term pain and discomfort. Steroid injections help when all other non-invasive methods fail. Doctors inject a mix of medicines, including a corticosteroid, at the source of the pain. The injections take a few days to kick in but can help with lower back pain in a few ways.

Stopping inflammation

Herniated discs or spinal stenosis can cause the spinal nerves and surrounding tissue to become inflamed. By applying medicine and steroids to the pain site, these shots can help reduce swelling and discomfort. Cortisone, the main ingredient, is an anti-inflammatory agent. The compound releases slowly and can reduce swelling for months. Steroid injections have a primary aim: to relieve pain. Studies show an up to 80% success rate on average on pain reduction.

Buys back pain sufferers some time

Research has shown exercise can reduce lower back pain. But there’s a chicken and egg scenario that happens. Pain prevents back pain sufferers from exercising, but activity stops the pain. By taking steroid injections, the pain gets taken out of the equation. These injections only have a short life span of 3 months. This gives enough time to start a solid exercise regimen to restore balance to the spine.

Avoiding the knife

As a last resort, doctors may recommend surgical procedures like ACDF to fix spinal pain. But steroid injections can put a stop to surgery. First, there are risks involved with surgical procedures. Other patients may avoid surgery altogether. With medication, doctors may conclude that the patient does not need surgery. Then, alternative treatments can help reduce back pain even more.

Enjoy the benefits today

In terms of immediate pain management, steroid injections are a cut above the rest. Thousands have been able to live better lives due to the help of injections. Persons should note, however, that this treatment delays the symptoms. Steroid injections may not work for everyone. Speak with a doctor to determine both if injections are the right step and ways to address the root cause.

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