Steroids in regional analgesia.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Local injections of steroids have been widely practiced to provide regional analgesia for the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal pain syndromes. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of steroid injections is not substantial. Also, there have been reports of catastrophic complications associated with their use. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: The evidence currently available in the literature (Database: Ovid MEDLINE 1950 to 2010) is reviewed. The areas covered include the analgesic mechanisms of steroids, indications for steroid injections and their effectiveness, as well as the risks and precautions for steroid injections. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: This is an up-to-date review on the clinical application of steroid injections for regional analgesia, which will give the reader an insight on how to maximize the benefits of steroids while minimizing their side effects and complications. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Although steroid injections are generally considered effective and safe in the treatment of painful condition of limbs, their use in the treatment of chronic back pain is still controversial and serious complications have been reported. More studies on outcome and safety are warranted.