Do epidural steroid injections work to ease back pain?

March 26, 2014 by Nicholas Brandon

Epidural injections offered by doctors seem to be very a popular choice for back pain sufferers. In my opinion as an Alexander Technique Teacher, this is a very short term solution, and doesn’t address the underlying causes. Which I think is often caused by lifestyle, stress, tension, compression, unhealthy lifestyle choices, sedentary culture, sometimes a genetic constitutional weakness in the spine. There seems to be no real education about how to look after the spine/back/body/mind- in day to day living.

Back pain sufferers are often given very specific exercise, which are often performed at home, the gym or clinic. Many of these exercises are carried out with little awareness of how the entire body functions as an integrated whole. Too much effort, haste and tension often accompany the exercises which often exacerbate back pain conditions.

The Alexander Technique address mechanical, coordination problems, stress, and compression of the spine. It’s a practical educational method of looking at every day movement such as sitting, standing, walking and lifestyle; It’s no quick fix, as people hope the injection will be, but it can have remarkable, long last result as well as many other benefits.

Many of my pupils have avoided the perils, of needles and surgery from having a course of lessons in the Alexander Technique.

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These are some post below from people who have had the epidural, it’s really disappointing, there is so much money to be made from medical spinal procedures.

Chris Graham I’ve had numerous injections and not one of them helped at all. I refuse to be poked with needles in my spine anymore.
Like · Reply · 5 · about an hour ago

LuAnn Smith Mine didn’t work at all for L5-S1 arthritis and the side affects weren’t fun at all. I stopped after second set of two. Why does it work for some and not for others? Would love to know the answer to that question…
Like · Reply · 5 · 2 hours ago

Karen Moore Used to get them,ruined my spine!
Like · Reply · 2 · 2 hours ago

Stephanie Thomas Lmt If injections help at all it is only temporary. Pain returns with a vengeance. Once you teach your body it doesn’t have to make it’s own pain killers, the pain is 10x worse once the steriod wears off. Then you addicted to the injections. I used to work in a pain clinic. Serial steroid injections over a long period of time is one of the biggest scams out there. Also, alot of ppl with a chronic pain condition receiving serial injections are also on an oral opiate medication to ‘help’ with pain. Why are dr’s putting patients on the same regimen used to phase out the terminally ill? Chronic pain in itself is not a terminal illness. Its time ‘drs’ stop ‘practicing’ medicine & start demanding an education on how to manifest healing.
Like · Reply · 4 · about an hour ago

Terry Koczorowski Not always. Be careful with those, can decrease bone density
Like · Reply · 1 · about an hour ago

Traci Mounts No I had the and spinal blocks, and the injections in joints, etc. Nothing worked, I’m worse than when they started.
Like · Reply · 1 · about an hour ago

Jennifer Cerene They work for a limited amount of time….but what are the side effects?
Like · Reply · 1 · about an hour ago

Les Wood No side effects at all.
Like · about an hour ago

Jennifer Cerene No immediate, but down the road, thinning of the bones, my mother is experiencing this as we speak…..
Like · about an hour ago
Nicholas Brandon

Terri Cope Lattanzio I have had these on a regular basis for the last 30 years. They NEVER numbed anything and they hurt like hell. They never worked for me. But, if i didnt let the dr do it he refused my meds. Gota play the game i guess
Like · Reply · 1 · about an hour ago

Pamela Jane Moran Made me worse.
Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hours ago

Heidi Pavlich Isbell They didn’t help me, I have herniated discs. I stopped at the second set of two
Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hours ago · Edited

Eileen Otto No
Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hours ago

Les Wood Ditto had 2
Like · 1 · 2 hours ago

Mark Newcomer Ditto had 3.. Then had to have 3 surgeries.
Like · 1 · about an hour ago
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Nicholas Brandon

Marybeth Cook Prickett Sue Bean, my dr said you need to have the nerve blocks before RF to ensure it’s the right thing. I had my 1st set of RF in 9/13 & got 6 months of pain relief. I am now on my 2nd round. It is painful, the procedure, but worth it.
Like · Reply · 15 minutes ago

Sue Harmon A few years ago I had a few, I was in severe pain. I must say they did help, I know having too many are not good for your bone density. I now have chronic ongoing pain in a different areas from severe scoliosis. I need revision but that’s no guarantee either.
Like · Reply · 19 minutes ago

Marybeth Cook Prickett Had 3 epidurals…1st one worked for a cpl wks, 2nd & 3rd didnt work at all.
Like · Reply · 20 minutes ago

Kristin McLaughlin I’ve had them- they not only made little difference if any- the last time I got permanent nerve damage by the doctor doing it because he hit the nerve- instead of around it like its supposed to. He would not stop although I was screaming in pain.
Like · Reply · 30 minutes ago

Heather Neal My condition is mechanical. Surgery is inevitable. Haven’t had an ESI yet but I know it’s coming because that’s what insurance is going to demand. I’ll play along once. And that’s it. I will NOT tolerate doing them over and over and over again as a bandaid. I’ve done enough research to know how damaging steroids are to our bones. I’ve already been pumped with enough oral and intravenous steroids in the past year to last a lifetime. It’s A Money Racket iMHO. Great if it works for u. But 30?!. Do u realize what u are doing to the rest of your body? I understand “surgery as last resort” but sometimes I think we need to take a step back and really look at what we are doing to ourselves all for the sake of avoiding surgery. My doctor put surgery into perspective for me… he said to think of it this way… A surgeon’s livelihood relies on optimal success rates. They want u begging and at your wit’s end. That way as a “last resort” if it fails. ..it doesn’t look as bad on them. After all they were your only chance after trying everything else… just some food for thought. Be well!
Like · Reply · 31 minutes ago

Rochelle Bergren No!
Like · Reply · 36 minutes ago

Paula Sheppard They didn’t work for me
Like · Reply · 57 minutes ago

Susan Buranen Bevardos I’ve had 6 sets of injections over the last year. It helped at first but less and less lately. Now I seem to have even more pain and looking into a spinal cord stimulator trial. Side effects (like hot flashes, weight gain, lowered immune system) are no fun either.
Like · Reply · 59 minutes ago

Kathleen Winslow Parsons No. Over the time period of 2-3 months I had 3 injections around L4, L5. I felt human for about 1-1/2 days. I finally resorted to surgery. If I had known this would be outcome I wouldn’t messed around with the injections. I am glad that I had PT in the beginning and now in recovery I will begin my PT at home. It’s nice to not be in pain again when standing.
Like · Reply · 59 minutes ago

Leia Collins I didn’t feel any change. I had two.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Sue Bean I had 6 steroid injections (in one go) they worked for a few weeks, then 6 nerve blockers…no change, now I have to have Radiofrequency Ablation which I’m not sure about, still taking painkillers so if these injections are not working should I have the ablation????? eeeek…confused.com!!! xxxx
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Iris D Jusino I’ve received so many injections I’ve got scar tissue all over the place
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Keith Nth No
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

MK Jung I have had 2 operation with CT scan. In this time I took a long rest. It did work!!
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Paris Wolf Spinal injections of long lasting anesthetic, and nerve ablation. Both helped. No steroids.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Beth Freund Welch I’ve had 3 and they absolutely worked for me! Each lasted about 6 months and I enjoyed each and every pain free day!
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Vanessa Abukaeiba Didn’t work for me. Was then told its because i have permanent nerve damage.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Natalie K. Corwin it did work and later on it started up again maybe need another shot.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Meggan Davis Yes and no. Sometimes they help and sometimes they don’t been doing them for 2 years.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Sarah Kathy Finley Yes they did help me for a while. I think I had success because I got them from good doctors. I did end up having back surgery later because my back got worse.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Alicia Fernandez Philip It doesn’t work…and I got a spinal headache from it and air in my brain… they did 3 blood patches and I was in the hospital for 6 days…and the headache lasted close 2 two months… ppl if you are going to get this injection make sure you get it done when they put you to sleep…it’s less risky….
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

Amanda McDonnell Bird Yep 4 wks relief max made no difference long term
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Helen S Tomlin Not for me back had alsorts of treatments even microdiscoptomy didnt work
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Chester Hall In my case it lasted about a month and would have less affect every shot after that first set.
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Melissa Anderson Hall None has helped me and I have had over 30
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Michelle Miller Faux I get some every few months and they do help with the pain.
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Liliana Inostroza Nothing is only to take you money
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Wayne French no
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Maahi Teetotaler Can anyone tell me about
What is Epidural soft tissue
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Tery Davis Kempf No
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Katheryn Manion I heard its dangerous and the medication is not always approved for use in canada?? I live in canada…Lol
Like · Reply · 2 hours ago

Matt N Marcy Songer Thelongest they ever helped me was a half an hour.
Like · Reply · about an hour ago

 

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