Injection Therapy for Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: An Updated Cochrane Review

Staal, J Bart; de Bie, Rob A.; de Vet, Henrica C. W.; Hildebrandt, Jan; Nelemans, Patty

The objective of this review was to determine if injection therapy is more effective than placebo or other treatments for patients with subacute or chronic low back pain. Eighteen trials (1179 participants) were included in this review. The injection sites varied from epidural sites and facet joints (i.e. intra-articular injections, peri-articular injections and nerve blocks) to local sites (i.e. tender-and trigger points). The drugs that were studied consisted of corticosteroids, local anesthetics, and a variety of other drugs. Overall, the results indicated that there is no strong evidence for or against the use of any type of injection therapy.

There is insufficient evidence to support the use of injection therapy in subacute and chronic lowback pain. However, it cannot be ruled out that specific subgroups of patients may respond to a specific type of injection therapy.

Spine, 2009, 34(1), 9-59

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