Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Do Corticosteroids Work?Conditions Treated With CorticosteroidsSafety and Effectiveness
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Do Corticosteroids Work?
Conditions Treated With Corticosteroids
Safety and Effectiveness
Steroids, such as prednisone and other oral steroids are often used to manage chronic back pain when more conservative treatments—like rest, exercise, and over the counter (OTC) treatments—don’t work. Corticosteroids can also be injected into the inflamed area to alleviate the pain and swelling.
Laura Porter / Verywell
Corticosteroids inhibit the production ofprostaglandins, as well as other chemicals.Steroids simulate the hormone cortisol, which your body produces naturally in the adrenal glands (small glands that sit on top of each kidney). Cortisol has many actions, including suppression of the immune system.
Severe or chronic inflammation can harm your body’s tissues, even to the point of causing more damage than the initial injury that triggered the inflammation in the first place.
Nerve route irritation is also a symptom of a herniated disc and degenerative disc disease; spinal epidurals are commonly given for these conditions, as well.
Most of the time, an injection of steroid medication into your spine is safe, and in the short term, may be an effective way to relieve your pain. However,side effectsare possible and can include:
Serious complications are rare and can include:
By the way, don’t let the term “steroids” mislead you; corticosteroids are not the same drug many elite athletes take to improve their game.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pountos I, Panteli M, Walters G, Bush D, Giannoudis PV.Safety of epidural corticosteroid injections.Drugs R D. 2016;16(1):19–34. doi:10.1007/s40268-015-0119-3Williams DM.Clinical pharmacology of corticosteroids.Respir Care. 2018;63(6):655-670. doi:10.4187/respcare.06314American College of Rheumatology.Spinal stenosis.Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of rare but serious neurologic problems after epidural corticosteroid injections for pain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Epidural corticosteroid injections.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pountos I, Panteli M, Walters G, Bush D, Giannoudis PV.Safety of epidural corticosteroid injections.Drugs R D. 2016;16(1):19–34. doi:10.1007/s40268-015-0119-3Williams DM.Clinical pharmacology of corticosteroids.Respir Care. 2018;63(6):655-670. doi:10.4187/respcare.06314American College of Rheumatology.Spinal stenosis.Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of rare but serious neurologic problems after epidural corticosteroid injections for pain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Epidural corticosteroid injections.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Pountos I, Panteli M, Walters G, Bush D, Giannoudis PV.Safety of epidural corticosteroid injections.Drugs R D. 2016;16(1):19–34. doi:10.1007/s40268-015-0119-3Williams DM.Clinical pharmacology of corticosteroids.Respir Care. 2018;63(6):655-670. doi:10.4187/respcare.06314American College of Rheumatology.Spinal stenosis.Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of rare but serious neurologic problems after epidural corticosteroid injections for pain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Epidural corticosteroid injections.
Pountos I, Panteli M, Walters G, Bush D, Giannoudis PV.Safety of epidural corticosteroid injections.Drugs R D. 2016;16(1):19–34. doi:10.1007/s40268-015-0119-3
Williams DM.Clinical pharmacology of corticosteroids.Respir Care. 2018;63(6):655-670. doi:10.4187/respcare.06314
American College of Rheumatology.Spinal stenosis.
Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of rare but serious neurologic problems after epidural corticosteroid injections for pain.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Epidural corticosteroid injections.
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