DCOA New Orleans

10/24/2026

🚨 EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTIONS FOR NECK & BACK PAIN: WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?

💉 Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are performed routinely across the United States to treat back pain, neck pain, sciatica, and spinal stenosis. But are they as effective as many people believe?

A 2025 systematic review published in Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) examined the evidence, and some findings may surprise you.

🔎 KEY FINDINGS:

📌 Lumbar spinal stenosis: ESIs probably do not reduce short-term pain. Evidence for improving disability is uncertain, and evidence for long-term pain relief is insufficient.

📌 Cervical conditions: No qualifying trials were found for cervical spinal stenosis, and evidence for cervical radiculopathy was very limited.

📌 Preventing surgery: Evidence does not establish that ESIs reduce the eventual need for surgery.

📌 Repeat injections: Research on repeated injections is lacking. Repeated steroid exposure may carry risks, including epidural lipomatosis, which can worsen spinal canal narrowing.

📌 Safety: Epidural injections carry potential complications, and reported rates vary across studies.

⚖️ WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

ESIs may provide short-term relief for some patients, but relief does not necessarily mean lasting recovery. Many people with radiculopathy also improve naturally over time.

Before proceeding, ask your healthcare provider about the expected benefits, duration of relief, potential risks, and alternative treatments.

Patients deserve evidence-based care, realistic expectations, and informed consent before undergoing an invasive procedure.

📚 Reference: Armon C, et al. “Epidural Steroids for Cervical and Lumbar Radicular Pain and Spinal Stenosis: Systematic Review Summary.” Neurology, 2025.

📢 Share to raise awareness and encourage informed decisions about pain management.

The review affirms limited efficacy of ESIs in reducing pain and disability in cervical and lumbar radiculopathies and possibly in lumbar spinal stenosis, largely in the short term. The heterogeneity of outcome measures reported preclude presenting integrated data regarding effect size. There is con...

10/23/2026

"THE NECESSITY OF TEACHING MANKIND NOT TO TAKE DRUGS is a duty incumbent upon all who know their uncertainty and injurious effects: and the time is not far distant when the drug system is abandoned."

CHARLES ARMBRUSTER, M.D.

10/22/2026

10/22/2026

10/21/2026

🚨 LOWER BACK PAIN AFTER SITTING? LET’S LOOK BEYOND THE PAIN!

Does your lower back feel stiff, tight, or painful after sitting at your desk, driving, or relaxing on the couch? You’re not alone!

As we age, changes in mobility and strength can make everyday movements more challenging. But getting older doesn’t mean you have to accept feeling stiff, weak, or less active!

At Tonic, we believe there’s more to managing back pain than simply treating the symptoms. While medications and certain procedures may provide relief, improving mobility, rebuilding strength, and addressing factors that contribute to discomfort can also play an important role in helping you move and function better.

Here’s what we focus on:

✅ Improving mobility and flexibility
✅ Building strength to support your spine
✅ Moving with greater confidence
✅ Getting back to the activities you love
✅ Bulging or herniated disc

🎯 The goal isn’t just to feel better today it’s to move better for the long run!

Your spine is designed to move, and your muscles play a vital role in supporting it. With the right approach, you can work toward moving more comfortably, staying active, and maintaining your independence as you age.

✨ Don't just focus on the pain. Focus on what your body needs to move better!

📍 Tonic - Because better movement means a better quality of life.

10/15/2026

💥 WHAT SETS ACCUSPINA® WITH IDD THERAPY® APART?

Not all spinal decompression devices are created equal!

The AccuSpina system delivers IDD Therapy®, an advanced, computer-controlled approach to spinal decompression that goes beyond traditional traction.

🔹 Developed with Neurosurgical Expertise: IDD Therapy treatment protocols were developed by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, helping establish a structured, targeted approach to spinal treatment.

🔹 Customized Treatment: Computer-controlled settings allow clinicians to tailor treatment force, angle, and targeted spinal levels to each patient's needs.

🔹 Patented Oscillation Technology: Unlike conventional traction, IDD Therapy combines controlled spinal distraction with a patented oscillating movement designed to mobilize targeted spinal structures.

🔹 Research-Informed Care: Published clinical studies have investigated patient outcomes following IDD Therapy for chronic back pain and disc-related conditions.

🔹 A Conservative Option: For appropriate patients experiencing pain associated with bulging or herniated discs, IDD Therapy may provide a non-surgical treatment option before considering more invasive procedures.

💙 Why settle for a generalized pulling force when your treatment can be tailored to your individual needs?

Ask us how AccuSpina with IDD Therapy may fit into your personalized plan for back or neck pain.

📩 Message us today to learn more!

10/06/2026

Prescription cascades are a reminder that medications can sometimes create a chain reaction: one drug causes a side effect, another medication is prescribed to treat that side effect, which creates another problem and soon the list keeps growing.

Drug side effects and toxicity exist on the same spectrum. As the old saying goes, “The dose makes the poison.” What makes a medicine therapeutic rather than toxic is often the amount, the context, and the individual receiving it.

The goal isn’t simply to add another prescription every time a new symptom appears. Sometimes the better question is: Could one of the medications already being taken be causing the problem?

Fewer medications isn’t always better but every medication should have a clear purpose, benefit, and ongoing reason to be there.

A massive study found a surprisingly common pattern in which one prescription may quietly create the apparent need for another.

10/05/2026

Why can a problem in your lower back cause pain all the way down your leg? 👀

Because the nerves that originate in the lower spine travel into the buttock and down the leg.

When a spinal nerve root becomes irritated or compressed- whether from a disc problem, inflammation, narrowing or another issue- the symptoms can sometimes follow the pathway of that particular nerve.

That can mean pain, tingling, numbness, burning or even weakness in different areas of the buttock, thigh, calf or foot.

And here’s the important part:

The location of your symptoms isn't always the location of the underlying problem.

Different nerves- and different levels of the spine- can produce symptoms in different areas of the leg. That’s why understanding the pattern of symptoms, along with a proper examination and, when appropriate, imaging, can help identify where the problem may be coming from.