Evidence Based Poster

The Use Of Epidural Injection For Back Pain In The Elderly

Background Information

• 30% of patients in the United States with back pain are over age 65.

• Epidural steroid injections are usually administered to the elderly patients.

• Epidural steroid injections ease pain temporarily by decreasing the size of stressed nerve roots.

Problem Area

• Concerns in the use of epidural steroid injection because of the side-effects.

• Complications may include immobility, leg swelling, and adrenal necrosis of the hip.

• Complications like immobility end up causing loss of muscle strength and bone weakening.

Recommendations

• Using alternative pain medication therapies such as NSAIDS.

• Using exercise and physical therapy as alternative means.

• Using psychological techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as alternative means.

Why The Recommendations

Are Relevant

• The recommendations are effective in treatment of the pain.

• They are less harmful since they have less-serious side- effects.

Example In Clinical Practice

• Prescribing NSAIDs to reduce the back pain in the elderly.

• Use of physical activity to boost strength and avoid recurrence of back pain.

• Talking to the patient to identify negative and unhealthy behaviors and replace them with healthy ones.

Measurement Outcome

• Comparing the complications in the number of patients who received epidural injections and those who received conventional treatment like NSAIDs.