Home >Unlabelled > Steroid Shots for Sciatica: Benefits Only Brief, Analysis Finds
Steroid Shots for Sciatica: Benefits Only Brief, Analysis Finds
Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 by Health and Wellness News
MONDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Spinal steroid injections -- the type involved in the current fungal meningitis outbreak in the United States -- provide only short-term relief for sciatica-related leg and back pain, according to a new analysis.
Sciatica, a common type of low back pain, is characterized by intense pain shooting down one leg, along with tingling and numbness, as a result of injury or pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Epidural steroid treatments -- injections into the joint spaces of the spine -- have been used to treat back pain for a half-century, but consistent guidelines for their use are nonexistent, according to the new study, which was published Nov. 13 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
In the new analysis, researchers analyzed 23 clinical trials involving more than 3,100 patients; the trials compared steroid injections to other treatments. Researchers had followed patients for a year or longer, gauging pain relief at various points.
"The review showed that [epidural injections] offered only small, short-term improvement in pain and disability for people with sciatica and had no long-term effect," said study co-author Dr. Chris Maher, professor of physiotherapy at the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney in Australia.
At two weeks and three months after treatment, 10 trials showed leg-pain relief and 14 reported improvements in disability. But after a year or more, no differences were found in leg pain, back pain or disability for those given injections compared to those given a placebo.
"Given that the treatment effect is likely to be small and short term, patients with sciatica should discuss the potential risks involved in [steroid injections] with their doctor before agreeing to the procedure," said Maher, who also is director of the George Institute for Global Health, in Sydney.
The results echo some of the findings of another study, published earlier this year, that concluded that after six months, epidural steroid injections were no better than the anti-inflammatory drug Enbrel (etanercept) or an injection of anesthetic and saline.
Dr. Steven Cohen, professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and director of pain research at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, said the findings shouldn't rule out use of epidural steroid treatment.
"It is likely that, at least in some people, epidurals may decrease the likelihood that they will need surgery -- not because they last so long, but because they decrease pain enough for your body to heal itself and/or prevent those deleterious changes from occurring in the nervous system," Cohen said.
Cohen was a researcher on the study comparing the injections with Enbrel, which was published in April in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Many factors play into the injections' effectiveness, he said. One is the duration of pain. The longer a patient has had the pain, the less responsive treatment tends to be, not only to injections but also to other therapies.
Risks to patients were not examined, Maher said. These remain a concern, especially since tainted steroid injections have killed 32 people and sickened 438 to date since the fungal meningitis outbreak came to light in September. The contaminated drugs were traced to a compounding pharmacy -- now shut down -- that produced drugs to meet the needs of specific patients. Such specialty pharmacies are regulated by state boards, not the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Despite that outbreak, epidural injections for back pain are extremely safe, Cohen said, and ''certainly safer than commonly used alternatives such as surgery or narcotics."
"When you examine alternatives for sciatica, no treatment is very reliable or effective," he said, adding that doctors should be more selective in choosing which patients could benefit from the injections.
Dr. Roger Chou, associate professor of internal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, agreed.
"[This new review] underscores the importance of performing epidural steroid injections judiciously, in patients who have clear indications for it, especially in light of the fungal meningitis outbreak," Chou said. There is no evidence that the injections work, for instance, in those with low back pain without sciatica.
Via: Steroid Shots for Sciatica: Benefits Only Brief, Analysis Finds
Popular Posts
-
Deciding not to step out into the Black Friday foray, Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest opted for a post-Thanksigivng vacation in...
-
Rodrigo Cid Cynthia Nixon has an Emmy and a Tony, and she also has flawless skin. But that hasn't always been the case. After strugg...
-
FRIDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The public's common image of a Botox patient is a middle-aged woman hoping to look more youthful th...
-
TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Restrictions on young people's use of indoor tanning have been introduced by several countries in...
-
Featured wedding by Wedding 64, My Simply Perfect Weddings ...
-
THURSDAY, July 5 (HealthDay News) -- As many as one in five Americans has to deal each day with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a di...
-
Wedding dresses that give you two looks for the price of one...
-
QUILL/TAXI/GETTY IMAGES The first new weight-loss drug in 13 years was approved Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Th...
-
WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of esophageal cancer have surged due to a lack of awareness about what causes the disease and...
-
MONDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The new blood-thinning drug Brilinta should be considered along with older drugs to treat patients wit...
Blog Archive
-
▼
2012
(1044)
-
▼
November
(53)
- Watch Derek Blasberg Teach Etiquette Using Cats
- This week's heat film reviews - Silver Linings Pla...
- Modest Midi: Fall's Hardest Working Skirt Gets a R...
- The Style Maven: Aran knits
- Dry Climates and Skin Care: Maintaining Healthy Sk...
- 'It was a really important call': Pete Doherty rev...
- Reading, Games May Help Aging Brains Stay Sharp
- Kate Middleton Repeats Red LK Bennett Coat To Watc...
- Beauty Blog Love 31: Fleur De Force, Pout Out Prou...
- Miu Mius Underground lan
- Julianne Hough & Ryan Seacrest's Post-Turkey Day M...
- Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings
- The Glossies: All the December 2012 Covers We Love...
- Borrow a Little of Keira Knightleys Sheer Elegance...
- Routine Checkups Don't Cut Cancer, Heart Deaths: S...
- What Were Wearing: Whistles, Zara, Acne, Topshop &...
- The 10 Best Mascaras For Tired Monday Eyes...
- Christopher Kane denies Balenciaga rumours
- Ke$ha looks sleek & glam as she makes it to the be...
- Food Safety Tips For a Worry-Free Tailgating Party
- Richard Arnold has left Strictly Come Dancing
- Seven Inclusive Health Benefits to be Thankful for...
- OMG! Jennifer Aniston Copies Brenda and Kelly's Sp...
- Happy Hour Grapefruit Gimlet
- Eat Wild Plants With Songwriter Sean Rowe
- Kristen Stewart Flashes Major Leg in Sexy Golden G...
- Kellan Lutz Talks Losing His Virginity!
- Skin Care Tips for All-Nighters
- Daniel Craig tells a weird joke involving oysters,...
- Regular Exercise May Help Seniors Stave Off Heart ...
- Tulisa: 'the whole fashion thing really doesnt bot...
- Nancy Pelosi and House Mean Girls Laugh at Poor Lu...
- Don't Die, But Margiela for H&M Launches Tomorrow
- Lyme Rash Reappearance Probably Signals New Infect...
- Could Hormone Spray Help Men Stay, Not Stray?
- Steroid Shots for Sciatica: Benefits Only Brief, A...
- We Visit Hot New Nail Boutique Sophie Gass
- Don't Turn to Holiday Food as a Way to Deal With S...
- Income May Influence Outcome of Knee Replacement S...
- Floral Bridal Veils for the Rustic Bohemian Bride
- Christian Diors Sexy Minimalism
- Steroid-Meningitis Toll Now 32 Dead, 438 Sickened,...
- Impulsive College Women at Risk of Drinking Proble...
- Naomi Campbell Is Planning The Year's Most Lavish ...
- Hormones and Your Skin: The Not Always Friendly Re...
- Rockaways Needs Your Help -- Long-Time iVillage Wr...
- Could Cholesterol Treatment Fight Repeat Heart Att...
- Yohji Yamamotos New Fluidity
- Device Offers Hope for Battery-Free Pacemakers
- Haider Ackermanns Spiritual lan
- New Video Demonstrates Skin Cancer Self-Exam
- Time Change Means Turning Clocks Back on Sunday
- Physical Activity in Old Age May Protect Brain
-
▼
November
(53)
Fishing Tips And Techniques For Beginners
FEMININE INFINITY TATTOO DESIGNS
CUTE DORM ROOM IDEAS
ABC Party Ideas For Girls
Greenpois0n Jailbreak
What Is Best Treadmill
HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT FOR WOMEN
Blogroll
- Rocky Mountain Road Bikes
- What Is Sterling Silver Plated
- Black Gold Dogs Food
- Dining Rooms Paint Colors
- Parents Choices Diapers
- Best K Cups Coffees
- Arts And Crafts For Toddlers
- Healthy Skin Makeup Reviews
- Refurbished Androids Phones
- Techno Gadgets For Kids
- Weddings Makeup Looks
- Womens Fashions Boots
- SSD vs HDD
- Beyonce
- Bluray Disc
- Laptop Bag
- Kokowaah Torrent
- Best Seller Baby Furniture
- Golf Instruction Tips Free
- Camping Tips And Tricks For Beginners
- Best Sports Car In The World
- Smallyard Landscaping Ideas
- Small Backyard Landscaping Ideas
- Hairstyles For Medium Length Hair
- What Is Best Treadmill
- How To Gain Weight For Women
- Technology Green Energy
- Fishing Tips And Techniques For Beginners
- Feminine Infinity Tattoo Designs
- Greenpoisons
- Coal Trading
- Boss Tambang
- Lactoses Intolerance
- Fashion And Beauty Trends
- How To Grow Facial Hair Faster
- Samsung News
- Coal Mining And Geology
- Childs Craft
- Best iPads Apps
- iPhone iPad iPod
- Gtrend
- iPhone 4G
- Gadgetz News
- Facial Hair
- Constant Diarrhea
- Grosir Baju Muslim
- Unlock iPhone Store
- Greenpois0n Jailbreak
- Cute Dorm Room Ideas
- ABC Party Ideas For Girls