Comparative study of three doses of epidural steroid injection with single dose of epidural steroid injection for lower back pain

Abstract

Introduction: Low Back pain and lumbar radicular pain due to is one of the most common complaint in OPD patients. Epidural steroid injection have well established role in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain, but the exact dose of Epidural Steroid injection has yet to be decided. The aim of this study is “To Compare three doses of epidural steroid injection with single dose of epidural steroid injection for Lumbar Radicular pain patients.” Materials and Methods: 50 patients with lumbar radicular pain were randomly allocated into 2 groups. In group A 25 patients were given 120 mg of Depo-medrol (40 mg three times) and in group B 25 patients were given 40 mg of Depo-medrol as a single dose. Both group A and Group B were matched in terms of age and gender. On visual analogue score (VAS) pain was assessed after 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Results: In group A (3 doses of depomedrol) VAS improvement at 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months were more than group B(single dose of depomedrol) which was statistically significant (p