Back & Neck Pain Treatment Steroids for Chronic Back Pain Relief By Anne Asher, CPT Updated on July 14, 2023 Medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How Do Corticosteroids Work? Conditions Treated With Corticosteroids Safety and Effectiveness Steroids, such as prednisone and other oral steroids are often used to manage chronic back pain when more conservative treatments—like rest, exercise, and over the counter (OTC) treatments—don’t work. Corticosteroids can also be injected into the inflamed area to alleviate the pain and swelling. With chronic back pain, your usual activities and exercises can fuel chronic inflammation by constantly irritating the affected area. Laura Porter / Verywell When the back pain runs down one leg, the condition is often referred to as sciatica, and it occurs due to irritation and inflammation of the spinal nerve root. A steroid injection (spinal epidural) for the treatment of back pain is among the most common interventions for back pain caused by irritated spinal nerve roots. How Do Corticosteroids Work? Inflammation is produced by the immune system to help fight infections and heal damage, but it can be harmful in some situations. Corticosteroids block the damaging effects of inflammation through several mechanisms. Corticosteroids inhibit the production of prostaglandins, as well as other chemicals. Steroids simulate the hormone cortisol, which your body produces naturally in the adrenal glands (small glands that sit on top of each kidney). Cortisol has many actions, including suppression of the immune system. Severe or chronic inflammation can harm your body’s tissues, even to the point of causing more damage than the initial injury that triggered the inflammation in the first place. Conditions Treated With Corticosteroids Corticosteroids are often used to help manage nerve root pain caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups, and other conditions. Spinal stenosis, a chronic condition, can be caused by arthritis. The spinal cord lies inside the spine, which is a long tube-like structure formed of bone. And the spinal nerve roots normally pass through the foramen (tunnel-like openings in the bone throughout the length of the spine). The spine or the foramen can narrow due to bone spurs or other growths. When the spurs and bone growths come into contact with the nerves, irritation, pain, and/or other symptoms may result. Nerve route irritation is also a symptom of a herniated disc and degenerative disc disease; spinal epidurals are commonly given for these conditions, as well. Safety and Effectiveness Most of the time, an injection of steroid medication into your spine is safe, and in the short term, may be an effective way to relieve your pain. However, side effects are possible and can include: Increase in painSevere headacheMuscle weaknessParaesthesia (burning or tingling sensation)FaintingNumbnessDizzinessSeizuresVision changes or vision lossFlushing in your face and chestTemporary increase in body temperatureProblems sleepingWater retention Serious complications are rare and can include: Allergic reactionInfectionBleedingNerve damageParalysisStrokeDeath By the way, don’t let the term “steroids” mislead you; corticosteroids are not the same drug many elite athletes take to improve their game. 5 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Pountos I, Panteli M, Walters G, Bush D, Giannoudis PV. Safety of epidural corticosteroid injections. Drugs R D. 2016;16(1):19–34. doi:10.1007/s40268-015-0119-3 Williams DM. Clinical pharmacology of corticosteroids. Respir Care. 2018;63(6):655-670. doi:10.4187/respcare.06314 American College of Rheumatology. Spinal stenosis. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of rare but serious neurologic problems after epidural corticosteroid injections for pain. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Epidural corticosteroid injections. By Anne Asher, CPT Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit