Spinal Injections Can be Back Breaking

Spinal injections have been shown to increase your risk of spinal fracture.

Did you know that recent research says that treatments like spinal injections can dramatically increase your risk of a cracked, or broken back? The scary part is over 9 million of these injections are given every year for spinal pain! New research has shown a 21% increased risk of a spinal fracture after every epidural steroid injection.

Lumbar epidural steroid injections are frequently given by pain management doctors for the treatment of radiculopathy or neurogenic claudication arising from compression of spinal nerves. However, there is evidence suggesting that corticosteroids can negative affect bone strength by diminishing new bone formation and increasing bone resorption.

The findings suggest that steroid injections can lead to increased bone fragility. The added exposure to glucocorticoids resulting from these injections may carry a greater risk than the medical industry previously thought.

“Of greater concern, the definable fracture risk as documented by Mandel et al. should be set against the best available evidence regarding the long-term efficacy of these interventions, which is admittedly less than robust.” - Andrew J Schoenfeld, MD

Why it Matters:

As you can imagine, spinal fractures hurt. They require further medical treatment and sometimes even result in surgery. By staying conservative with your healthcare, you can reduce your risks and get the relief you desire. Research shows spinal adjustments as one of the best forms of care to reduce your pain, increase your function and improve your overall quality of life.

Chiropractors are focused on correcting the cause of your pain. Problems with your spine can put pressure on your discs and nerves causing irritation, swelling, and a lack of spinal motion. A shot does not correct the cause of the pain, at best it only temporarily masks it. With the risks of spinal fractures, the smart decision is to get well and stay well using conservative, natural healthcare.

▪ Research has shown a 21% increased risk of spinal fractures after injections

▪ A fracture, or broken back, can cause tremendous pain and even result in surgery

▪ Natural healthcare, such as chiropractic, is recommended before moving on to riskier treatments such as spinal injections

Next Steps:

Share the science. Being well informed comes with the responsibility of sharing what you know with others who don’t. That doesn’t mean you should argue with those who are already convinced by their prejudices. It says that we encourage you to share what you know with others who are curious and can benefit from understanding the Research That Matters.

Science Source:

Spinal Manipulation Postepidural Injection for Lumbar and Cervical Radiculopathy: A Retrospective Case Series. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. September 2004

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. May 2013

A Retrospective Analysis of Vertebral Body Fractures Following Epidural Steroid Injections. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. June 2013

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