Can steroids help back pain?
Are you tired of a constant ache in your back? Do you miss feeling energized and pain-free? Well, my friend, have you considered steroids to curb that back pain?! No? Hear me out.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons why people visit their doctors. It’s an annoyance we all wish was non-existent. Luckily, some treatment options can help ease this agony. One option that seems to be gaining popularity with athletes is using steroids for pain management.
But wait a minute! Isn’t steroid use illegal in sports? That may be true, but there’s more than one type of steroid.
Types of Steroids
There are two main types: corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). Corticosteroids are naturally occurring hormones produced by the adrenal gland responsible for reducing inflammation throughout the body. AASs come from synthetic versions of testosterone, leading to muscle growth and improving athletic performance – which isn’t what we’re discussing today (or ever, wink).
Injections or oral medication administered during medical procedures typically contain corticosteroids used as anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone or hydrocortisone; they’re commonly prescribed by physicians worldwide for different illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis affecting joints where inflammation occurs frequently.
Corticosteroid serum injections directly to bones/joints could help curb irritation from conditions such as tennis elbow, bursitis alongside spine-related problems like disk herniation compressing nerves causing extreme soreness – i.e., good ole’ backache!
So let’s talk about whether these miracle workers can aid us unfortunate backache victims finally find relief,
The Benefits of Using Steroids
Studies suggest our bodies heal faster when treated with corticosteroid medication after sustaining injury/trauma/nerve damage (1.) Imagine tearing your ACL a year ago and still feeling the pain; that’s where a corticosteroid injection comes in clutch, ultimately reducing inflammation/pain.
It could also help curb swollen nerves causing sciatica discomfort. Sciatica is when there is persistent irritation along the body’s largest nerve responsible for radiating soreness down your leg/side butt cheek (2). It turns out having an anti-inflammatory effect on this area of the body sounds perfect!
Now if you’ve clicked on this article, I’m sure you’re currently dealing with backache or are curious about it! Let’s get into more details – specifically correlating steroid effectiveness alongside backache
Can Steroids Help With Back Pain?
Studies suggest patients treated with epidural corticosteroid Injections displaying significantly better results regarding decreased overall pain score than those who didn’t receive them (5). This means lessened agony due to spinal cord/protruding disk-related issues.
Also, mixing NSAIDs like ibuprofen/naproxen alongside short-term steroids does prove useful toward combating lower back torment as well (6).
The most significant impact arises concerning acute radicular nociceptive sensation(SLNRS) – i.e., shooting pains extending through legs caused by compressed spinal nerves from various conditions like herniated disks/facet joint overload/spinal injury(7). Yikes!
A significant factor while utilizing steroids for chronic ache could be cortisol secretion suppression once used consistently over long periods cause depletion/slowdown in hormone creation putting subjects at risk of dangerous side effects such as osteoporosis/(Or ick) intestinal perforation(8.)
Long story short – Oral use or injections of corticosteroids shows positive effective usage benefits towards reducing swelling causing continuous suffering in hip/lower spine regions. A wise choice after trying different methods mentioned above/Aroo paws emoji
Side Effects
Using steroidal medication can have immense negative impacts if not administered correctly by qualified medical professionals (Even if that cool guy you met claimed it worked for him). Some side effects include fever, acne, salt retention/fluttering heartbeat, mood swings (9). Chronic exposure could lead to long-term complications; this is why consulting with doctors becomes crucial before using medication of any kind.
Alternatives Before Trying Steroids
Now although steroids as pain management sound like the perfect solution to never-ending soreness – there are a few things recommended before taking that big step toward medication possibilities:
- Stretch
- Ice/Heat Treatment
- Strengthen Core Muscles – (helps relieve acute and chronic backache)
- Medications such as ibuprofen/Naproxen(10)
It’s critical always to create healthy habits toward maintaining physical activities avoiding too much or too little movement based on what conditions may pave your route. Of course consistency in whichever change s implemented remains a necessity(Amen).
Final Thoughts
To answer our initial inquiry drumroll: Yes! Corticosteroid injections contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties directly targeting swelling surrounding joint areas leading many physicians worldwide approaching steroid treatments regarding severe ailments.For those dealing with backache and finding no relief after trying multiple options/options listed above entails benefitting from corticosteroid injection use!
Of course, we can’t forget each person has different bodily reactions/tolerance levels towards medications so doctor consultation before beginning steroid treatment is the most suitable move alongside disciplining oneself concerning proper routines keeping muscles limber while improving strength respectively heading toward obtaining relief upon persistency.
Till next time,
Stay Strong & Stay Healthy!
(Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as medical advice)