Connect
Best thing(s) for chronic lumbar pain?
I've had several cortisone injections and per my MRI, it should have given some relief but it hasn't. I have a follow up in two weeks but wondering what others have done to calm the pain?
Thank you in advance.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.
Connect
Mike30a, did the injections give you relief immediately after the injections. Sometimes we have a inflammatory reaction to the steroid after the injection which can make the pain worse for a bit. If you had immediate relief or if this pain relaxes you might have radiofrequency ablation of that offended nerve. For now, you might try ice directly over the area of the injection. The otc anti inflammatories could be helpful You can try lidocaine patches. They can be effective directly over the injection site.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 Reactions@gently
No, I had a few hours of relief after the injections and
This is what they wrote in my after visit summary:
"Assessment / Plan
Left low back pain individual with diffuse spondylotic changes well as facet arthropathy. We did have a lengthy discussion about his options in the office today. He tells me his pain has been in the left low back mostly with bending standing walking. We will set him up for a left L4-L5 and L5-S1 facet joint intra-articular injection. Given his medical fragility and comorbidities I do not believe he is a candidate for a radiofrequency ablation
sdm
1. Spondylosis of lumbosacral spine without myelopathy
M47.817: Spondylosis without myelopathy or radiculopathy, lumbosacral region
Has any one tried the smooth spine device for spine pain?
@mikeb39a
those hours of relief (might) mean that the procedure is effective for you because numbing the area worked. The analgesic wears off after a few hours. You may have increasing relief as the steroid reduces inflammation in the facets, allowing more space for the exiting nerve.
If you are on an anticoagulant, they'd want you to stop before RFA. And that might not be safe for you. Do you know if you've had autoimmune testing. It's only a question because of the "diffuse spondylotic changes" and "facet arthropy,"
There is an autoimmune system called ankylosing spondylitis. In your situation I might want genetic testing for HLA (B27), but that a wild guess without much information.
There are braces for spondylosis. https://www.bostonoandp.com/products/scoliosis-and-spine/boston-brace-3d/