Lumbar Epidural Injections, A concern for low bone density?

Lumbar epidural injections can be a significant help in managing severe lower back and leg pain. We routinely send out patients for consultation for these procedures when the condition warrants it. Like any other treatment, though, there are risks and side effects. According to recent studies there is a risk for bone health that women especially should be aware of when considering lumbar steroid injections.

Among postmenopausal women who received an epidural steroid injection in the lumbar spine to treat back and leg pain arising from a compressed nerve in the spine, levels of bone formation biomarkers were decreased. The decrease in levels persisted more than 12 weeks, results from a new study show. The major concern here is in patients who receive regular steroid injections to manage their pain. As opposed to patients who receive a course of one to three injections to reduce their pain as part of a spine rehabilitation program.

We have run across patients who get “stuck” in a treatment program of just managing pain by doing several injections a year, every year. We don’t believe that this is an appropriate way to mange pain, there are better options. According to this recent study managing pain this way will result in a low bone density risk and subsequent spine or hip fracture risk. There has to be a better way.

The better way is to actually get to the cause of someone’s problem. As chiropractors we are excellent at evaluating our patients to find the cause of their problems. We work well with orthopedic and neurological spine specialists to collaborate for the patients good. As a result we do send our tough cases out for a consult and possibly treatment with pain injections to get the edge off. Getting the edge off on a patients pain can make our job to restore normal spine stability that much easier.

We don’t want to see patients in our community “stuck” in a rut of pain management for their spine and spine related conditions. We have the knowledge and tools to get people out of pain and restore normal spinal integrity.

Call us today for a free complimentary consultation!