# Why can't they give me steroids in my back? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581 "2001-03-26T20:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/1 "2001-03-26T20:50:53Z")
(Yes, of course this was inspired by Cecil’s column [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a980529a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a980529a.html) , though not really related). I had back surgery about 4 years ago (a discectomy), and since then my back has really never felt 100%. I have to be extremely careful lifting heavy things, and often my back hurst just for the hell of it. I did go for physical therapy a few years back (minor resistance excersizes and stretching) to strengthen my back and it was helping to a point, but then my back went out and so I never went back (no puns int.). But it occurred to me that the main reason the doctor sent me there was to strengthen the muscles in my back. So I ask, for someone with chronic back problems such as myself, would not this be a situation where perhaps a very small dose of anabolic steroids injected into my back muscles might prove beneficial? note: upon re-reading my OP, the word “back” has suddenly lost all meaning. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/2 "2001-03-26T23:31:10Z")
One of our friendly docs will no doubt be along soon. I’m not sure how it works in regard respect of muscular problems, but I’ve certainly had several relatives who’ve received spinal (intra-sacral?) injections of steroids for arthritis, and I have a notion that the procedure is used for some other inflammatory conditions as well. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2001, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/3 "2001-03-27T02:11:33Z")
Epidural steroid injections (using cortical steroids, I believe) are sometimes used to bring down the inflammation of the nerve with disc problems. I’ve had 4 over the past 3 years. I believe this is a totally different beast from anabolic steroids, which help build muscle. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/4 "2001-03-27T04:18:27Z")
Yes, corticosteroids are totally different beasts than anabolic steroids. The corticosteroids will reduce inflammation at the site of an injury and (heaven forgive me for this massive oversimplification) not do much elsewhere if you don’t make a regular habit of having them injected. Growth of muscle in response to anabolic steroids occurs as a result of long term increase in the circulating levels of the hormones. That makes localized effects harder to achieve. IMNAMD or a pharmacologist, so there may be peculiar delivery methods, or steroid derivative drugs that allow anabolic treatment of specific parts of the body, but I’ve never heard of any such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2001, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/5 "2001-03-27T11:07:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Moe \* > **So I ask, for someone with chronic back problems such as myself, would not this be a situation where perhaps a very small dose of anabolic steroids injected into my back muscles might prove beneficial?** You normally get steroid injections into something like a bad back with the inflammation-reducing steroids, which don’t promote strength and muscle. Anabolic steroids, as far as I know, do not limit their effects to where they’re injected but rather affect the whole system. Assuming you’re male, a small dose isn’t going to have much effect against the “background” of your normal hormone output. Any dose high enough to have a noticeable effect also carries a risk of side effects, some extremely dangerous. In any case - it’s not steroids alone that lead to increased muscle and strength, it’s steroids + exercise. So if you aren’t willing to go down to rehab or the gym and do your back excercises it won’t give you any benefit anyhow. So if you aren’t willing to exercise there’s no point ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2001, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-give-me-steroids-in-my-back/59581/6 "2001-03-27T18:08:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > > So if you aren’t willing to exercise there’s no point oh rats.