PM&R News   •   October 2018

Back pain is the number 1 reason the population visits a physician and is one of the reasons we write about back pain treatments so often. Whether you are a spinal cord injury, amputee, or sports medicine physician, you will see back pain… daily.  This systemic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether transforaminal or interlaminar epidural steroid injections have better efficacy for back pain. 12 studies were included and the conclusion showed transforaminal epidural steroid injections had significantly better outcomes up to 1 month and slightly better outcomes up to 6 months. Transforaminals also showed better functional improvement. There was no difference in costs between the two injections.  These injections do have low risk and can provide significant relief to your patients and improve their day to day function.