Steroid Injections for Pregnancy Related Low Back Pain

Photo: jdurham

Are you pregnant with low back pain? One type of low back pain that's very common during childbearing is sacral pain. Experts think that when low back pain in this area begins during pregnancy, chances are you may be experiencing it long after your baby is born. About 10% of pregnant women with low back pain continue to experience disabling pain two years after delivery.

A new study, published in Spine found that a corticosteroid injection to the lowest part of the pelvis (called the ischial spine) relieved pain for 4 weeks in 36 women who had chronic pain that had begun while they were pregnant. The women made pain drawings and filled in visual analog scales to rate the intensity, frequency and location of their pain, and the researchers measured the differences in their marks before and after the injections. The women also had a clinical exam by both a physical therapist and a doctor.

_{Source:
Torstensson, T., MSc, RPT, Lingren, A., RPT, Kristiansson, P, MD, PhD. Corticosteroid Injection Treatment to the Ischiadic Spine Reduced Pain in Women with Long-Lasting Sacral Low Back Pain with Onset During Pregnancy. Spine. 2009.}

| Sacrum | Back Pain | Visual Analog Scale - VAS |

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