Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC
Approximately 9 million epidural steroid injections are performed annually in this country for back pain and other conditions. Steroid injections appear not to be as safe nor as beneficial as some believe, but many people are unaware of the risks associated with this type of injection. At the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, NC, we strive to educate patients and potential patients regarding the risk-benefits of different care types while providing effective, safe, and gentle care. This post summarizes an article in the peer-reviewed medical Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery to clarify some of the severe side effects of epidural steroid injections.
An epidural steroid injection is a technique in which a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic are injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord. The article mentioned above, entitled A Retrospective Analysis of Vertebral Body Fracture Following Epidural Steroid Injections, shows that these injections do not yield long term benefits for patients. Equally problematic, this type of medical treatment increases spine bone fracture risk substantially, as summarized in this medical journal article. The risk of vertebral body fracture increases markedly with each injection received and, since patients frequently get several of these injections over time, this raises many flags. Natural, hands-on chiropractic and acupuncture care may be a better option for many persons.
At Acupractic Natural Healing Center and Acupuncture at Eastowne LLC, Dr. Oskardmay uses low force chiropractic adjustments, thumper massage, and acupuncture with patients who have back pain with the risk of fracture. Spinal mobilization at the hands of a licensed chiropractic physician such as Dr. Lisa Oskardmay improves vertebral motion and function in several important ways. It restores range of motion between vertebrae, reduces adhesions between spinal bones, and removes nerve compression to restore influence to affected organs and muscles. Spinal mobilization also relaxes connected muscles to reduce muscle pain and improve balance while causing the release of endorphins which relax the body-mind naturally.
Dr. Oskardmay is aware that persons who have received steroid epidural injections will be at higher risk of fracture, so she helps patients with pain reduction techniques that promote overall body wellness and pain reduction. As a wellness educator since 1995, when she opened her first chiropractic and acupuncture wellness center in Durham, NC, she teaches patients how to achieve a healthy lifestyle with exercise education, relaxation technique promotion, and nutrition support.
At our new office location at 205 Providence Rd. in Chapel Hill, NC, we are close by and available to help patients looking to achieve a healthier lifestyle with less pain and better overall health and well being. If you or a loved one is considering getting an epidural steroid injection, make sure that you understand the procedure’s risks and benefits. If you choose to receive natural healing treatments, contact our office today to make an appointment with a chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC patients recommend that supports body-mind wellness and reduces pain naturally. Call us at Acupractic.