Epidural Steroid Injections-Are They Too Risky?
Epidural steroid injections are as common today as drinking a glass of water.
The reason for the common use of these injections is chronic pain. A vast majority of these injections are used by pain management doctors for patients that present chronic pain.
Oftentimes, the pain is low back pain, but with so many common chronic pain conditions in the United States, steroids are often given for all types of chronic injuries.
Is it possible to avoid these painful injections?
There is a STRONG possibility that you will be able to avoid these injections in the future, and the risks that they present.
One of the biggest risks being discussed today is the risk of fungal meningitis.
Are the risks worth getting these injections?
There are certainly more alternatives to fighting inflammation than there were 10 years ago, and one of those alternatives is PEMF therapy.
If you could reduce your inflammation, swelling, and ultimately reduce or eliminate your chronic pain, would you do so if you could use this therapy at home?
Today, we are going to share with you the risks involved in epidural steroid injections, and how steroids can negatively impact your body over time.
We will also share with you how PEMF therapy can aid in helping you avoid these risks, and how you can access this therapy at an affordable rate.
The Risks of Epidural Steroid Injections
Injections are never fun, and today they come with more risks.
This is especially true if you are getting epidural steroid injections. The one major risk this article will focus on is fungal meningitis.
There is always some risk to ANY medical procedure, but this local anesthetic is given through an injection into the skin and into the area where inflammation is present.
This can be a muscle or even deep into the joint, but those who have had these injections know first-hand that they can be painful during as well as for a few days after.
However, reducing the inflammation is the primary goal, so that swelling can be minimized and take pressure off of the nerves as well as the surrounding tissues, muscles and any surrounding organs.
Local anesthetics are designed to give you immediate pain relief, but the actual injection could take up to a few weeks to really begin working.
Those who suffer from chronic back pain get an injection in what is referred to as the epidural space.
This means that the injection is close to the nerve roots and spinal cord. The goal for many patients is to get relief from pressure on the nerves.
The following conditions are the most common:
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Sciatica
- Back strain
- Osteoarthritis
These conditions can be caused by heavy lifting, athletic injury, and in the case of osteoarthritis, the cartilage can wear down and cause bones to rub together.
While this can be quite painful, the question is whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks.
A well-known doctor and PEMF therapy expert, Dr. William Pawluk, used to give these injections to his patients.
Dr. Pawluk says this on his website:
I have given steroid injections throughout my career, just as most other doctors do. But it always bothered me that the risks probably outweighed the benefits a large part of the time. At that time, these were the only options I had available. This is one of the reasons I began searching for other alternatives for pain management, and in the end, found PEMFs.
Dr. Pawluk knows something that the patient doesn’t, and thankfully, in this case, he offers his direct and professional opinion.
It is a welcome change to hear a doctor speak so openly about what he knows to be true.
What is best for you?
That is up to you alone to decide, but hopefully, this article will help you make a more educated decision on whether or not the corticosteroid injections are really ideal for your health and your unique situation.
Dr. Pawluk does not say that PEMF therapy is a cure, but he does say that steroid injections are also NOT a cure.
Here are the primary risks involved with these injections.
- Risk of infection.
- Steroid injections ALWAYS thin out the tissues into where they are injected.
These injections do bring some comfort, but doctors often are unsure of what the alternatives are and therefore the patient has no knowledge of those options.
The medication is strong, and it can certainly reduce the inflammation, but again, these injections can also destroy the tissues in which the medication is being injected.
There are times when these injections have their place, but recurrent treatment should perhaps be taken off the table to remove the risk factor. What about the alternative?
A Fresh Alternative to Epidural Steroid Injections
The alternative to getting epidural steroid injections is now PEMF therapy.
Patients using this therapy have reported a decrease in pain, and ultimately the reduction in inflammation has a lot to do with the reduction in pain.
As inflammation goes down, swelling goes down, and ultimately, pressure is taken off of nerves and surrounding tissues.
The effect is similar to that of a steroid injection, however, the results with this therapy could be seen much sooner.
Everyone will experience something different with PEMF therapy, but without giving it a trial, there is no way to know for sure.
The ONLY safe way to treat pain is to approach it with a non-invasive and non-toxic approach.
These injections pose two specific types of risks that put it at the top of the list as a last resort when other non-invasive methods of treatment have failed.
Physical therapy and staying active are still important regardless of what method one chooses. PEMF therapy is in no way intended to replace other healthy and natural modalities, and a healthy diet is still important as well.
Immediate relief from pain is sadly another way in which Americans represent the factor of lacking patience and the ability to consider methods of healing that are not labeled as a quick fix.
The earth-based pulsed electromagnetic waves have been shown in numerous studies to oxygenate tissues and cells, repairing those damaged cells and healing the tissue as well.
PEMF therapy has also been shown to improve circulation, and therefore it is able to improve blood flow to the injured site, giving it healing and rejuvenation.
Do as much online research as you can, and always talk to your doctor before you try something new.
No one knows your medical history better. If you would like to learn more about how PEMF therapy can help you avoid “epidural steroid injections”, please visit www.pemfsupply.com today.
