Title: The Clinical Outcomes of Local Steroid Injection Plus Conservative Management and Conservative Management Alone in Chronic Low Back Pain Due to Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Authors: Dr Bisha Babu, Dr Sreejith Kalathummarath, Dr Sreedevi Menon P
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i12.174
Abstract
Background: Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is defined as a regional pain syndrome characterised by muscle pain caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). The prevalence of MPS among chronic back pain patients is high. Clinical features are exquisite spot tenderness, pain recognition, taut band, referred pain and local twitch response. Treatment includes both conservative and invasive type. There was no obvious study to assess the effectiveness of steroid infiltration in myofascial pain syndrome when compared to conservative management. So aim of the study was to compare the pain and functional outcomes of local steroid injection and conservative management and conservative management alone in chronic low back pain due to Myofascial Pain Syndrome.
Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted in Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Government Medical College Kozhikode. Duration of study was one year and consisted of a sample size of 60. Study started with collection of information regarding demographic factors and randomly giving the treatment to the groups. Patients were followed up at 3rd week. Outcome measures were Visual Analogue Scale and Short Form Mcgill Pain Questionnaire for pain and Oswestry Low Back Pain and Disability Index for functional outcome and Case record form.
Results: When pain scores were measured by the SF McGill Pain Questionnaire and by the VAS, steroid infiltration combined with conservative management showed better results than those in the conservative management group at the follow-up visit, the scores being statistically significant.
Conclusion: In this study it was found that local steroid injection of Myofascial Trigger Points combined with conservative management resulted in better pain relief and functional outcome in chronic low back pain due to Myofascial Pain Syndrome than conservative management alone.
