Think twice before getting an injection for low back pain or sciatica

It’s been a while since I did a Cycling Wednesday topic. As I was skimming thorough the Journal of the American Medical Association last night, I came across this review article on spinal injection therapy for low back pain. It was a shocker. Two factors brought my attention to the article: First, almost all the cyclists or runners I know have been beset with either back pain or sciatica (referred pain or weakness down the leg). In fact, in some cases, back issues have ended their competitive careers. I too have been flattened with low back pain. It was awful. The other reason to pay attention to the review is the huge numbers of requests I receive from AF patients who are asking to stop their anticoagulant (blood thinner) for a spinal injection. Background: Low back issues are even more common than atrial fibrillation. In the US, low back pain accounts for 2% of all doctor’s visits and is the fifth most common reason for visits to primary care. That makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? The same risk factors for heart disease, not moving enough and eating too much, also increase the risk of skeletal issues in the low back. The waiting room of the orthopedist looks very similar to the cardiologist. Since I am no expert in orthopedics, I will write most of this post from a journalistic standpoint. The facts in the review are striking enough; they don’t need much editorial. My comments will be at the end. Five facts from the review article: There is substantial variation in...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs