Questions in The Neurology Forum are being answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic , consistently ranked one of the best hospitals in America. Had back fusion done with plates and screws and now after two yrs fusion has not yet taken. Sharon, It sounds like you have had a difficult time with your back. Steroid injections are one form of treatment that is sometimes effective for backpain.
Steroids generally work by decreasing inflammation.
These steroid injections are often given in a series of 2-4. There are some small risks of these injections, the most important of which is infection in the area of the injection. Because there is a problem with bone fusion in your case, extra caution may be warranted. Back pain that persists after surgery is a difficult problem to treat. It works by interfering with the transmission of the painful signals traveling up the spinal cord to the brain.