Management of diskogenic pain using epidural and intrathecal steroids.

The use of methylprednisolone acetate (Depo-Medrol) injected by the epidural or intrathecal route for the relief of diskogenic back pain with or without radiculopathy is an adjunct to conservative management useful when conservative measures fail and surgical treatment is under consideration. This is especially true when symptoms have been present for only a few months. Corticosteroids injected in the same manner seem to have little effect on patients with symptoms persisting for periods longer than 3 months or in patients treated previously by surgical methods.