Lumbar spine pain originating from vertebral osteophytes.
OBJECTIVE
Axial spine pain originates from a number of structures. Putative pain generators include facet joints, intervertebral disks, sacroiliac joints, and myofascial structures. Osteophytes originating from lumbar vertebral bodies in the area of the intervertebral disks may be a source of nociceptive low back pain which may respond to local injection.


METHODS
Five patients with axial low back pain unresponsive to traditional treatment modalities were treated with fluoroscopic guided injection of local anesthetic and corticosteroid near large intervertebral osteophytes.


RESULTS
All 5 patients experienced relief.


CONCLUSIONS
Vertebral osteophytes may be a source of axial spine pain. Injection of painful osteophytes with a local anesthetic and corticosteroid solution may produce pain relief.
Lamer
T J
TJ
Division of Pain Medicine, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000777:Anesthetics