The recent meningitis outbreak has caused a lot of attention to be given to the use of steroid injections for lower back pain management. Aside form concerns about insufficient regulation of compounding pharmacies like the one that distributed the tainted steroid, complaints from health professionals and researchers about the overuse of this unproven method of treatment have also been sounding loudly. Epidural steroid injections are generally seen as a short-term, unreliable method of back pain management.

There may be more concerns associated with these injections that have not been made public knowledge. For example, oral and intravenous steroids have long been associated with bone loss, but it wasn't until recently that a link was established between injected steroids and bone loss. Researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital presented findings of a study they conducted to the North American Spine Society in Dallas this October which establish such a connection.

Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by the loss of bone density, commonly leads to bone fractures. Spinal fractures are the most common type among those with osteoporosis. The disease generally affects men and women over 50, and women are 4 times more likely to be affected. According to the American College of Rheumatology, osteoporosis-related fractures will affect 1 in 2 women over the age of 50 and 1 in 6 men. know more

Henry Ford Hospital researchers reviewed data for 6,000 patients treated for lower back pain between 2007 and 2010; half of the patients had received at leas one steroid injection, and the other half received non-e. They found that the likelihood of incurring a bone fracture increased 29% for each injection received.

This study is in its preliminary stages as it has not gone through the peer review process yet. Its results still give cause for concern among both health professionals and patients over 50 with lower back pain. The study is relatively short-term, establishing a link between injections received among older patients and bone fractures incurred within a few years of having an injection. More studies are needed to consider a possible link between lifelong steroid injection use and risk of bone fractures later in life.

While it is true that this study has not yet been subjected to the rigorous peer review process that would render its findings officially valid, it at the very least merits the issuing of a warning to patients over 50 with back pain. Knowing that there is a possible association between the injection and bone fractures may be enough to motivate back pain patients to seek other, less risky forms of treatment.

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Baseball is undoubtedly the great American pastime...or at least it used to be. Recent years have seen unbelievable controversies spring up to tarnish the once hallowed reputation of the game. Just when interest in baseball was at an all-time high, steroids have threatened to ruin the game that so many people love.

love. It seems like every other day, another news story breaks about some great player that used steroids. It has officially gotten to the point of ridiculous. How did it get so bad? When did this all start?

The mid 90's saw a revival in fan support in Major League Baseball. After the strike in the early 90's, fans were anxious to have something to cheer for. Ratings were low and Major League Baseball wondered secretly if they could ever get back on track. Then came two sluggers, the likes of which no one had ever witnessed - Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. The 1998 season saw them both on a record pace to break the home run record. This record was once thought untouchable for years after it was set. All of a sudden, not only one, but two players were threatening to break it. Late in September McGuire broke it first, but Sammy battled back to momentarily gain the lead. McGuire again took the lead and finished with an astonishing 70 home runs in a single season. No one thought it could ever be done, and the crowds couldn't have been happier. Fans were enthusiastic again. Know more

Then just a few years later, Barry Bonds hit a staggering 73 home runs. While the number was large, possibly the most amazing thing was how many home runs he improved by from the following year. He only hit 49 home runs the season before. Improving by 24 home runs in one year was astounding. Could someone really do this without help? Was it at all suspicious how Barry Bonds went from a scrawny little outfielder to a massive giant in a few years? Apparently many people began to wonder and Bonds has been speculated on ever since.

Just recently in 2007, the Mitchell Report was released. It was an exhaustive report, delving into the secret lives of many baseball players. Many players were named, several of which were All-Stars and Hall of Famer's. Probably the biggest name tossed around in the report was that of Roger Clemens. The, now almost 50, pitcher has undoubtedly been one of the most successful pitchers of all time. Now it is coming to light that he allegedly used steroids for years.

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