A spinal steroid injection—also known as an epidural injection—may only reduce neck and back pain for a few months, according to a recent review by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).
Spinal stenosis, a common condition in adults over 60, is caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal.1 This can cause chronic pain and numbness in the neck and lower back. While steroid or cortisone injections are sometimes used to help control pain, they may not be effective.
According to the AAN review, 26% more people who received spinal steroid injections had reduced disability for up to three months compared to those who didn’t. However, the effectiveness waned after three months. The injections reduced pain for 24% more patients for about two to six weeks, but they did not improve function or reduce the need for surgery.