Lumbar Disk Disease
Authors: William M. Goldstein, William S. Isaacson
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1990)

Letters and Corrections15 August 1990Lumbar Disk DiseaseWilliam M. Goldstein, MD, William S. Isaacson, MDWilliam M. Goldstein, MDSearch for more papers by this author, William S. Isaacson, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-113-4-330 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors:I was disappointed that the article by Deyo and colleagues (1) did not mention epidural corticosteroid injections as a conservative therapy recommended for treating herniated disks. For acute herniation, epidural steroid injections can afford dramatic and long-term relief, especially if used in conjunction with the other conservative treatments outlined by the investigators (1). Overall, patients with symptoms of short duration (preferably less than 3 months, certainly less than 1 year) benefit the most, with both a greater success rate (50% to 90%), as well as longer pain relief (2). In patients with chronic conditions, such as spinal...References1. DeyoLoeserBigos RJS. Herniated lumbar intervertebral disk. Ann Intern Med. 1990;112:598-603. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Benzon H. Epidural steroid injections for low back pain and lumbosacral radiculopathy pain. Pain. 1986;24:277-95. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. DeyoLoeserBigos RJS. Herniated lumbar intervertebral disk. Ann Intern Med. 1990;112:598-603. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Nakano K. Sciatic nerve entrapment: the piriformis syndrome. J Musculoskel Med. 1987;4:33-7. Google Scholar3. SimonsTravell DJ. Myofascial origins of low back pain. Postgrad Med. 1983;73:66-108. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Mizuguchi T. Division of the pyriformis muscle for the treatment of sciatica: postlaminectomy syndrome and osteoarthritis of the spine. Arch Surg. 1976;111:719-22. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. BeatonAnson LB. The relation of the sciatic nerve and its subdivisions to the piriformis muscle. Anat Rec. 1937;70(Suppl 1):1-5. CrossrefGoogle Scholar1. DeyoLoeserBigos RJS. Herniated lumbar in vertebral disk. Ann Intern Med. 1990;112:598-603. LinkGoogle Scholar2. CucklerBerniniWieselBoothRothmanPickens JPSRRG. The use of epidural steroids in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain: a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. J Bone Joint Surg. 1985;67-A:63-6. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. DilkeBurryGrahame THR. Extradural corticosteroid injection in management of lumbar nerve root compression. Br Med J. 1973;2:635-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. KepesDuncalf ED. Treatment of backache with spinal injections of local anesthetics, spinal and systemic steroids. A review. Pain. 1985;22:33-47. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByA Comparison of Ambulatory Care and Selected Procedure Rates in the Health Care Systems of the Province of Manitoba, Canada; Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization; and the United States 15 August 1990Volume 113, Issue 4Page: 330-331KeywordsCorticosteroid therapy Issue Published: 15 August 1990 PDF DownloadLoading ...