IAIABC Panel: Spinal Injections Effective Sometimes, but Pose Patient Safety Risks

Epidural steroid injections can help patients avoid opioids and surgery, but a panel of experts warned during a presentation by the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions on Monday that some doctors continue to use the procedure inappropriately or unsafely. The procedure involves the placement of a needle in the epidural space – which sits inside the bony part of the spine just outside the spinal cord itself – and the injection of a glucocorticosteroid. The solution acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that can bring down the swelling of a spinal...