A corticosteroid injection can sound like an appealing shortcut when low back pain will not settle, but it is not the right answer for everyone. Knowing when it genuinely helps, and when it is worth trying other options first, is the key to a good decision.
Corticosteroid injections are given by a doctor, so this is a decision to make with your medical team. Here we explain what it is, how it reduces inflammation, how effective it is, and why physiotherapy still matters afterwards.
What Is a Corticosteroid Injection?
A corticosteroid injection delivers an anti-inflammatory medication directly into a joint or tissue to reduce inflammation and pain. Corticosteroids are drugs similar to hormones your adrenal glands make naturally, and they can be given as tablets, creams or into a vein, but injecting them straight into the affected area gives more targeted relief. They are used for a range of conditions, including back pain, arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis.
How a Corticosteroid Injection Reduces Inflammation
Once injected, the medication reduces inflammation and swelling in the treated area, which can ease pain and improve movement. On a cellular level, corticosteroids bind to receptors in your cells and dial down the production of inflammatory molecules like prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Less inflammation means less swelling and, often, less pain. The key word, though, is often; it targets the inflammation, not the underlying cause.
Are Corticosteroid Injections Effective?
For some people, they work well to reduce inflammation and pain. For others, the benefit is only temporary, with pain returning after a few weeks or months, and for a few, they do not help at all. Effectiveness depends on the condition, its severity and how you respond. There are also risks, including infection, bleeding and damage to nearby tissue, which is why the decision is made carefully with your doctor.
Corticosteroid Injections and Low Back Pain
For low back pain, injections are often considered when the pain is driven by specific problems, such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease. In a herniated disc, material from the disc can press on nearby nerves; in spinal stenosis, the spinal canal narrows and compresses nerves; and in degenerative disc disease, discs break down over time. In each case, the injection can reduce inflammation around the irritated nerves, which may relieve pain and improve function for a while.
Why It’s Not a Cure for Low Back Pain
Here is the crucial point: an injection is not a cure. It can create a valuable window of reduced pain, but unless you address what is driving the problem, symptoms tend to return. That is why injections are not a first-line treatment; they are usually reserved for when physiotherapy, medication and lifestyle changes have not been enough. Used well, it buys you a calmer period to do the active rehabilitation that produces lasting change.
What to Do After a Corticosteroid Injection
Getting the most from an injection comes down to a few sensible steps. Rest the area and avoid strenuous activity, like heavy lifting or high-impact exercise, for at least 24 hours. Applying ice to the site can help settle swelling. Take any pain medication only as your doctor directs. Where it is recommended, start physiotherapy to strengthen the area and reduce the chance of the pain returning. And follow up with your doctor to review how well it worked. Beyond that, the everyday basics still matter: a healthy weight, regular movement, good lifting technique and not sitting still for too long.
What to Avoid Afterwards
A few things can undermine the result. Strenuous activity too soon, in the first week or two, can stir up inflammation and reduce the benefit, so build back gradually. Avoid applying heat to the site early on, as it can increase inflammation and work against the medication. Do not ignore new or worsening symptoms such as increased pain, numbness or weakness; contact your doctor promptly, as these can occasionally signal a complication. And do not treat it as the whole job; ignoring the underlying cause is the most common reason pain comes back.
The Role of Physiotherapy
This is where physiotherapy earns its place. An injection can settle the inflammation, but physiotherapy addresses why the pain started, building strength, movement and capacity so the problem is less likely to recur. Using the pain-free window to do focused physiotherapy is often what turns short-term relief into a lasting result.
Common Questions About Corticosteroid Injections
Do corticosteroid injections cure low back pain?
No. They can reduce inflammation and ease the pain for a period, but they do not fix the underlying cause. Lasting improvement usually comes from addressing that cause, often with physiotherapy.
How long does the relief last?
It varies. Some people get weeks or months of relief, others much less. Using that window to build strength and address the cause tends to give the best long-term outcome.
Should I do physiotherapy afterwards?
Usually, yes. Physiotherapy after an injection helps strengthen the area and tackle what caused the pain, which is key to stopping it returning. Your doctor and physiotherapist can guide the timing.
How BeFit Can Help With Low Back Pain
At BeFit Training Physiotherapy, we help you get to the root of your low back pain, whether or not an injection is part of the picture. Our lower back pain physiotherapy team assesses what is driving your symptoms, and if you have had an injection, we help you use that window well with evidence-based strength and conditioning and a plan built around you. For broader assessment, our sports physiotherapy team can help too. Initial consultations run for 45 minutes, one-on-one.
Our team at Edgecliff and Coogee would be glad to help you build a lasting recovery. No referral is required, and HICAPS is available on-site for immediate health fund claiming.
Book an appointment at BeFit Training Physiotherapy — no referral needed.
Edgecliff: (02) 9327 7749 | Coogee: (02) 7205 2805 | befittrainingphysio.com/book-now
Related Services at BeFit
Learn more about how our team can help:
Lower Back Pain Physiotherapy
Strength & Conditioning
Sports Physiotherapy
Further Reading
How to Get Rid of Low Back Pain for Good
How to Treat Low Back Pain With Evidence-Based Physiotherapy in Sydney
The Truth About Trunk Core Stability and Low Back Pain
How to Train Through Low Back Pain as an Athlete
How to Know if Bad Posture Is Causing Your Back Pain
References
Chou R, et al. Epidural corticosteroid injections for radiculopathy and spinal stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015.
Friedly JL, et al. A randomized trial of epidural glucocorticoid injections for spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2014.
Oliveira CB, et al. Epidural corticosteroid injections for lumbosacral radicular pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020.
Australian Physiotherapy Association. Clinical guidelines. physiotherapy.asn.au.
