- With Mayo Clinic neurologist
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Dr. Jerry Swanson is a board-certified neurologist at Mayo Clinic and is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He has a special interest in headache disorders and medical education.
Dr. Swanson, a Lacon, Ill., native, was appointed to the Mayo Clinic staff in 1982 and works in the Department of Neurology with about 90 other physicians. He formerly chaired the Headache Division in the Neurology Department at Mayo Clinic and works with headache subspecialists around the world. He has published and lectured widely on headache disorders. He also serves as Assistant Dean for Assessment in Mayo Medical School.
"In a manner similar to the printing press, Internet technology enables the unprecedented ability to communicate with the global community about health information," Dr. Swanson says. "There is no doubt that the knowledgeable individual contributes greatly to his or her own health care, and now we can share information much more widely."
"There is much information already available about health care on the Internet. Unfortunately, much of it is not founded on sound principles. It is exciting to be a part of the MayoClinic.com team and contribute to the creation of a reliable and timely health resource."
Dr. Swanson is the neurology editor for "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and has reviewed articles for "Mayo Clinic Health Letter" and "Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource." He is also editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic on Headache" book, published in 2004. In 2008 the magazine "Women's Health" named him one of America's Top Doctors for Women.
Causes (1)
- Tarlov cysts: A cause of low back pain?
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Disk replacement: An effective treatment for low back pain?
- Myofascial release therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Epidural steroid injections for back pain: Why limited dosing?
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Back pain relief: Ergonomic chair or fitness ball?
Alternative medicine (3)
- Prolotherapy: An effective treatment for low back pain?
- Inversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Bowen therapy: Effective for back pain?
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Question
Epidural steroid injections for back pain: Why limited dosing?
Why are epidural steroid injections for back pain limited to three a year? The pain relief usually wears off within six to eight weeks, but I have to wait eight to 10 weeks for another injection.
Answer
from Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Epidural steroid injections can provide short-term relief of back pain. The number of epidural steroid injections is limited — often to no more than three in one year — to reduce the risk of potentially serious side effects. These side effects may include:
- Decreased bone density
- Thinning skin
- Weakened muscles
- Decreased production of naturally occurring steroids
Epidural steroid injections contain corticosteroids, which mimic the effects of the hormones cortisone and hydrocortisone. When prescribed in doses that exceed the natural levels of these hormones, corticosteroids reduce inflammation around the irritated nerves. This can help relieve pain, although only temporarily.
Research on the correct dose and frequency of epidural steroid injections is limited. And even then, the available data come mainly from studies in which participants received daily steroid injections for conditions other than back pain.
It's important to carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits of long-term epidural steroid injections. If you're in pain between epidural steroid injections, you might ask your doctor about other treatment options for back pain.
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