My doctor offers injections in the back for back pain but my buddy's doctor doesn't. His doctor says they don't work any better than fake injections. Which doctor do we believe?
Many doctors do use injections into the back or areas in the back to help relieve back pain. The injections may contain medications that reduce the inflammation, which in turn relieves the pain (corticosteroids) or anesthetics, medications that numb the area. A combination of medications can be given too. A lot of research has been done on this issue and the general agreement is that - often - there is not a big benefit to having the injections. Many of the studies found little or no improvement among patients who had the injections and those who had the fake injections, or placebos. However, the injections to work for some people, just as the placebos do. So some doctors do try the injections, having come to the conclusion that this would be a treatment that that could benefit fir particular patient.
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