The American Chiropractic Association, the leading professional association for chiropractors, states that more than 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at some point in their lives.

A steroid spinal injection is one of the most common, standard medical treatments for lower back pain that is caused by a pinched nerve in the spine. In fact, more than 9 million of these injections are administered each year.

To treat lower back pain, many patients go to their primary care doctor, who may prescribe an anti-inflammatory, MRIs, and physical therapy. If the MRI shows a pinched spinal nerve, the next step may be a steroid spinal injection to relieve pain, and then surgery if the injection does not work.

But what if there was a way to get to the root of the problem right away and address it as soon as possible to relieve pain and avoid surgery? At Horst Chiropractic, Dr. Nathen Horst compares steroid injections to chiropractic care to see which might be the better option.

How Do Steroid Injections Work?

Steroids reduce the inflammatory response, which reduces pain sensation. One way it does this is by reducing the immune system’s response to inflammation as a result of nerve or tissue damage.

These steroids are then injected into the epidural space around the dural sac, which protects the spinal cord. The injections can be done in a hospital, surgical center, or at Dr. Horst’s clinic. They usually take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.

How Do Steroid Injections Compare to Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation?

Although steroid injections have been shown to provide pain relief, it is important to remember that this pain reduction is temporary and only addresses the symptoms rather than the actual cause of the pain, which is the pinched or compressed spinal nerve. While it is true that stopping or reducing the pain is a welcome relief, being able to address the root cause is the goal of chiropractic care.

The basis of all chiropractic philosophy rests with the spine. If the spinal vertebrae shift out of alignment due to illness, injury or other factors, they can place pressure on the nerves leading in and out of the spine to the various organs of the body. This can interfere with proper signaling to and from the brain, thus leading to conditions such as sciatica or a herniated disc, both of which can cause lower back pain.

In order to relieve pressure on the spinal nerve, Dr. Horst will perform what is known as a spinal adjustment. This will open up the space between each of the vertebrae, allowing those that are misaligned to slip back into their proper position.

Once the spine is back in proper alignment, the pressure on the spinal nerve is relieved so the nerve can once again send proper signals to and from the brain.

The main advantage of chiropractic care over steroid injections is longer lasting pain relief, and addressing the actual cause of the problem to prevent it from happening again.