Are epidural steroid injections helpful for chronic low back pain?
Although significant questions remain in the management of chronic low back pain, clinical data suggest that patients with unresolved low back pain lasting more than 3 months may be candidates for epidural steroid injections. The pain should be severe enough that it significantly limits function and quality of life, and has not responded to oral analgesic medications and/or conservative care measures. For pain control, epidural steroid injections might be considered as an adjunct to conservative treatment and/or as an alternative to surgery in conditions causing chronic low back and/or leg pain, such as: — degenerative disc disease, — lumbar disc herniation, — lumbar spinal stenosis, and/or — recurrence of pain post-laminectomy. Contraindications include: — history of allergic reactions to any of the injected solutions (e.g., local anesthetic, steroids), — systemic or local infection in the area where the injection is planned, — bleeding disorders, and/or, — anticoagulant therapy. In t
