Many patients with sciatica endure substantial pain and disability. Oral steroids are often prescribed for patients who do not recover quickly. A new study looked at a common oral steroid medication and its effectiveness in decreasing pain and improving function for patients with sciatica due to a herniated disc.
Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California studied 269 patients who had sciatica due to a herniated disc. Two thirds were given an oral steroid and the other third received a placebo. Patients were assessed for pain and overall function after three weeks, and again at one year.
The researchers found a small, statistically significant improvement in function, favoring the steroid group, but no difference in pain scores.
