Epidural Steroid Injections Specialist

What are epidural steroid injections?

Epidural steroid injections are common pain-relieving injections your provider can use to treat low back, upper back, or neck pain. Your pain specialist injects an anesthetic and steroid into the epidural space around your spinal cord to reduce pain and inflammation. 

At Interventional Pain Consultants, you can reap the benefits of short turnaround times. Providers can see you in the office and schedule your procedure within a week.

Am I a candidate for epidural steroid injections?

To find out if you’re a good candidate for epidural steroid injections, your pain specialist reviews your symptoms and medical history. They complete a physical examination and might recommend you undergo blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, or MRIs.

Epidural steroid injections might be a good option for pain relief if you experience:

• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Arm pain
• Leg pain
• Spinal stenosis (spinal canal narrowing)
• Vertebra fractures or weakness
• Herniated or degenerative discs
• Sciatica 
• Painful inflammatory conditions

You may not be a good candidate for the procedure if you have bleeding problems, an infection, glaucoma, diabetes, or you’re pregnant.

What are the different types of epidural steroid injections?

Common types of epidural injections include:

Transforaminal injections

During a transforaminal injection, your specialist inserts a needle and injects medicine directly into the epidural space through openings near exiting nerves.

Interlaminar injections

With interlaminar injections, your pain specialist places a needle into the epidural space from the backside of your spine through a bony opening.

Nerve root block injections

During nerve root block injections, your pain specialist injects a steroid and an anesthetic into targeted nerve roots to reduce pain signals. 

What should I expect during the procedure?

Prior to receiving an epidural steroid injection, follow your pain specialist’s pre-procedure instructions. During the procedure, you lie on an X-ray table. Your specialist applies a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area.

Using X-ray fluoroscopic guidance, they insert a tiny needle through your skin into the epidural space of your vertebrae. Your provider injects anesthetic and steroid medications into the epidural space near nerve roots and removes the needle. They might complete multiple injections during the same treatment.

What happens after epidural steroid injections?

After the procedure, you can walk around and may head home after your specialist monitors you for a short time. Plan to have someone drive you home, as temporary leg numbness or weakness can occur. You might experience soreness around the injection site that soon subsides. You can usually resume normal activities the following day.

Your pain specialist might recommend you undergo multiple epidural steroid injections spaced apart over time, in conjunction with physical therapy, to maximize pain relief.

Don’t live with severe or long-lasting pain when you don’t have to. Schedule an appointment with Interventional Pain Consultants by phone or book online today to find out if epidural steroid injections are right for you.