Lumbar spine injection procedures in the management of low back pain

Lumbar spine injections have a role in the evaluation and treatment of low back pain. These injection procedures have been demonstrated to be effective in determining whether certain structures are responsible for low back pain. There is still debate as to the long-term pain relief from epidural and intra-articular facet joint injections, and there are no controlled studies examining the long-term effects of SI joint injections. There is evidence to support that these injections give temporary relief of low back pain for months. This duration of pain relief creates an opportunity to maximize rehabilitation efforts while symptoms are minimal. There is a need for more controlled studies to evaluate the long-term effectiveness that these lumbar spine injections have on controlling low back pain. Future studies also need to assess in a controlled manner the impact that these injections have no rehabilitation and their role in functional restoration of lumbar spine disorders.