Pain: epidural steroid injection: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Pain: epidural steroid injection

Sample item

For which problem is an epidural steroid injection most appropriate?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Radicular leg pain from lumbar disc herniation that has failed conservative therapy

Epidural steroids reduce inflammation around the irritated nerve root and give short- to medium-term relief of radicular pain from disc herniation or stenosis. They are not appropriate in infection, and they do not treat fibromyalgia. Serious but rare complications include spinal cord infarction after transforaminal injection and epidural abscess.

Option by option

  • A. Acute infective discitis

    Infection is a contraindication.

  • B. Radicular leg pain from lumbar disc herniation that has failed conservative therapy (correct)

    Correct. Radicular pain from disc herniation is the main indication.

  • C. Axial pain from a vertebral metastasis

    Metastatic bone pain needs oncological and other targeted treatment.

  • D. Chronic widespread pain from fibromyalgia

    Widespread pain is not helped by epidural steroids.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is B, Radicular leg pain from lumbar disc herniation that has failed conservative therapy. Epidural steroids reduce inflammation around the irritated nerve root and give short- to medium-term relief of radicular pain from disc herniation or stenosis.

Why is "Acute infective discitis" not the answer?

Infection is a contraindication.

Why is "Axial pain from a vertebral metastasis" not the answer?

Metastatic bone pain needs oncological and other targeted treatment.

Why is "Chronic widespread pain from fibromyalgia" not the answer?

Widespread pain is not helped by epidural steroids.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Pain: epidural steroid injection in Anaesthesia. They are not appropriate in infection, and they do not treat fibromyalgia. Serious but rare complications include spinal cord infarction after transforaminal injection and epidural abscess.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Pain: epidural steroid injection?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.