Pros & Cons of Steroid Injections for Back Pain

Pros & Cons of Steroid Injections for Back Pain

Steroid injections for back pain can be a great way to manage your condition while we figure out what the root cause of the issue happens to be. In this post, we’ll be going over the various positives and negatives of steroid injections for back pain and how Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants can help you overcome your back pain through other measures. 

Back Pain is a Symptom of an Underlying Condition

Ultimately, if you’re expecting  back pain, there’s a reason behind your pain. It could be nerve related, it could be disk related, it could be muscle related. Whatever the case may be, we’ll work with you to find a solution for your back pain while we figure out what’s actually going on internally.

Back Pain Can Be Temporarily Resolved with the Help of Steroid Injections

You don’t have to suffer in pain. There are a number of injections and therapies that can provide temporary relief where you can begin living your life with reduced pain, or even pain-free in many cases. 

Pros of Steroid Injections

Some positives of steroid injections are explained below in detail:

Easy Administration

Easy administration is one of the key benefits of steroid injections. Patients are typically in and out of the treatment center within a relatively shorter period of time. This makes for a convenient and simplified experience at the end of the day; which you will likely appreciate after receiving your steroid injection.

Relatively Few Side Effects

Overall, the side effects associated with steroid injections are quite low. There may be some pain and discomfort at the injection site, yet beyond those side effects, you’ll likely be able to return to your normal routine the same day in most cases. This benefit is great for those who may have a busy schedule and are seeking same-day relief for their pain.

Cortisone is Naturally Produced

Your body produces cortisone naturally. Steroid shots have a much more concentrated version of the naturally occurring cortisone you produce, yet it still has the same elements at the end of the day.

Minimally Invasive & Minimal Discomfort

Minimally invasive procedures are less likely to cause pain or discomfort, especially steroid injections. With steroid injections, you’re likely only to experience a slight pinch at the injection site, which is then followed by relief in most cases, as the steroid injection begins treating your inflammation site.

Concentrated Treatment Solutions

With the higher concentrations of the steroid injection itself, providers can efficiently and effectively treat problem areas, relieving pain points in a much more rapid fashion than waiting for months on end to experience relief.

High Success Rate

Steroid injections have a relatively high level of success when it comes to relieving pain and allowing you to return to normal, daily activities. With this being said, once your pain is reduced or eliminated, it’s very important to consult with your doctor, your physical therapist, or neurosurgeon to determine the next best steps. Steroid injections are a great tool for temporary relief over time, yet if we don’t successfully determine and treat the underlying issue causing your pain, it may return later on.

Improved Quality of Life

With reduced or eliminated levels of pain, you’ll be able to begin enjoying your favorite activities once again. This can improve not only your physical health, but also your mental health. When you’re injured and experiencing pain, your stress levels can increase greatly, and your happiness levels can decrease equally. Quality of life is what it’s all about when it comes down to it. Let us help you achieve this through our steroid injection treatment plans.

Multiple Back Pain Injection Types

•Epidural Steroid Injections: these steroid injections numb spinal nerves and prevent pain signals reaching your brain

•Nerve Block Injection: typically used to limit and possibly even eliminate back pain, these injections utilize a local anesthetic

•Radiofrequency Ablation Injections: through the use of radiofrequency energy, providers can disrupt the nerve and stop pain signals being sent to your brain

Whichever back pain injection is recommended for your condition, you’re likely to experience a significant reduction in pain the same day you receive treatment.

Reduces Other Types of Treatment

Through a reduction in pain, you’re able to return to some sense of normalcy and possibly rebuild strength to reduce possible surgeries and other more invasive procedures. Our team will do its best to help you achieve this goal of being pain-free and reestablishing strength and stamina within your neck, back, and spine.

Cons of Steroid Injections

While there are many positives to steroid injections for back pain, there are some negatives as well. Let’s explore said negatives below:

Potential for Damage with Repetitive Use

There is a small possibility with repeated steroid injections, there may be some damage caused in the injection site area. This is quite simply due to the fact your body develops scar tissue whenever there’s an injection into your skin, tissue, nerves , and bones; and when there are repeated injections into the same area on your body, you may develop weakened tissue and bone areas. For this reason, we recommend only doing a few injections to see if there’s improvement. If there is, great! If there’s little to no improvement, we’ll reevaluate your condition and proceed forward with alternative solutions.

Positive Benefits May Vary Patient to Patient

Some patients experience near immediate relief from their painful symptoms, while some patients experience little to no relief. The body, especially the neck, back, and spine is very complex. Everyone is unique and so are the conditions we treat here at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants. The only way to truly know how you’;ll respond to a steroid injection treatment plan is to give it a shot and see how your body responds.

Potential Side Effects

As with any medication, there are some side effects. In most cases, the side effects from a steroid injection treatment plan are usually mild. However, there is the potential for nerve damage and bleeding with any steroid injection for back pain. Be sure to discuss the possible side effects with your doctor and always weigh the positives and negatives when undergoing any medical procedure.

Contact Us About Your Back Pain in the San Antonio Area

If you’re interested in learning more about your options for back pain relief, contact us using the form below. We’ll be sure to respond to your message and have you scheduled to see one of our amazing medical providers as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

DISCLAIMER: No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.