If you have Sciatica and are considering Steroid Injections then you need to read this. A new study published on November 13,2012  in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine has found that after a year there was no difference in leg pain, back pain or disability between people who had injections and those who didn’t. The Research was performed on a big number of Sciatica sufferers (3100 patients) and across 23 Clinical Trials.

The study showed that the injections “offered only small, short-term improvement in pain and disability for people with sciatica and had no long-term effect”. This Research has even more relevance given the recent outbreak of fungal meningitis from tainted Steroid Injections in America in September 2012. The outbreak till now has killed 32 people and sickened 438.

My interpretation of this research is that Steroid Injections for Sciatica are effective as a way to reduce pain in the first couple of weeks but offer little more than that.

As a Chiropractor here in Madrid it’s no surprise that I favour natural solutions for Sciatica. For me the best plan for somebody suffering with Sciatica is to start with less invasive and lower risk treatments before using more permanent and higher risk solutions.

I see a lot of Patients with burning pain go down the back of their leg, weakness in their leg and pain in their bottom from Sciatica.  Typically in just a few weeks of treatment the people that Chiropractic can help notice a significant improvement in terms of pain or weakness.