Shot or Not?
What You Need To Know About Spinal Injections
You probably know someone whose medical doctor has recommended a spinal injection for their pain – they’re not alone. Over the past decade, epidural steroid injections have exploded in popularity, with over 9 million injections given every year for spinal pain!
However, new research shows they should think twice before scheduling that shot. Not only have spinal injections been shown to increase the risk of a spinal fracture by 21%, they don’t even provide as much pain relief as chiropractic adjustments in the first place.
What the Evidence Says
The science is eye-opening. Corticosteroid injections:
– Increase the risk of spine fractures by up to 21%
– Provide 10% less relief than chiropractic care
Furthermore, research shows that even if you do decide to go the corticosteroid injection route, you should still be receiving ongoing chiropractic care. According to a study in JMPT, patients who received chiropractic care after an injection had significantly more long-term pain relief than those who only received the injection. If you’re going to spend the time, money, and extra risk of getting an injection, wouldn’t you want to do everything possible to make ensure you get the best results? Be smart, know the research and stay well adjusted with chiropractic care.
Next Steps
Being well informed comes with the responsibility of sharing what you know with others who don’t. We encourage you to share what you know with others who are curious and can benefit from knowing the research.
Got questions? Ask us. Not knowing the science leads to increased pain, increased costs and more problems down the line. We’re here to help you, your friends, family and coworkers – know someone who could benefit from what we do at Ascent Chiropractic? We’d love to help. Call us at 262-345-4166 to set up an appointment.
Sources:
Spinal Manipulation Postepidural Injection for Lumbar and Cervical Radiculopathy: A Retrospective Case Series. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. September 2004. Volume 27. Number 7
Symptomatic MRI-Confirmed Lumbar Disk Herniation Patients: A Comparative Effectiveness Prospective Observational Study of 2 Age- and Sex-Matched Cohorts Treated with Either High-Velocity, Low Amplitude Spinal Manipulative Therapy or Imaging-Guided Lumbar Nerve Root Injections. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2013 May; 36(4):218-25
A Retrospective Analysis of Vertebral Body Fractures Following Epidural Steroid Injections. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Volume 95, Issue 11 (2013, Jun 05;95(11):961-964)