Scientists are now saying that steroid injections given for lower back and leg pain may not help to relieve the pain at all.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says that these types of injections are most common in people over the age of 60. Symptoms can begin as early as 30, according to Headlines & Global News.
Dr. Janna Friedly, lead author of the study, says that the injection of steroids for the treatment of spinal stenosis is a common practice by healthcare professionals. She says that the findings of her study suggest that injections like these are not beneficial to patients.
Spinal stenosis is a condition that causes pressure on the spinal nerves and can result in great pain.
Patients should consider alternative treatments before they receive injections, according to Tech Times. Exercise and surgery may be a better option to relieve the pain from spinal stenosis.
Four hundred patients were observed for this study.
Sixty-seven percent of patients that received the steroid injection said that they were “very” or “somewhat” satisfied with the treatment. In contrast, 54 percent of the patients that received only a local anesthetic said that they were satisfied with the treatment that they received.
The observations made by the researchers said that the relief given by the steroid injection is not worth the risks that come with it. Researchers suggest that doctors think twice and inform their patients about these injections before they administer them.
This study raises questions for scientists. Should steroids be given to patients suffering from spinal stenosis?