One of the most cited statistics about back pain is that up to 85% of Americans will experience it at some point in their lives. More compelling, however, is that low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide and the condition for which the greatest number of people may benefit from rehabilitation (WHO).
When loss of mobility takes people away from their active lives, when is it time to consider an injection for back pain? DISC’s Dr. Dickran Altounian, who is double board-certified in physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) and pain management, was interviewed by WebMD about this topic.
In general, back pain injections "are not considered a first-line treatment," he said in the article. Usually, doctors start considering injections only after other treatments, such as lifestyle modifications, oral medications, and physical therapy, have failed to ease symptoms, Altounian explained.
Once a patient has exhausted these first-line treatments, a range of injection options may help reduce back pain. These include epidural steroid injections (used for radiculopathy, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis), facet joint injections (used for arthritis-related back or neck pain that worsens with twisting or bending backward), sacroiliac (SI) joint injections (used for lower back pain that spreads to the buttocks or legs), selective nerve root blocks (used for pinpointing nerve pain and diagnosing which nerve is causing problems), and trigger point injections (used for muscle-related back pain and myofascial pain syndrome).
To decide which type of injection could work best to ease your back pain, Altounian noted that your doctor will do a full checkup, including medical history, musculoskeletal exam, X-rays, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tests. They will also explain the risks and benefits of each type of back pain injection so you can decide if it's right for you.
Read the full WebMD article HERE for more on how injections are used in back pain and its diagnosis.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Altounian HERE
