Frequently Asked Questions About Lumbar Pain Management Injections

What is an epidural injection of steroid?

An epidural injection is a procedure that administers a long-lasting steroid into the epidural area for pain management. The epidural area is the space around the spinal cord. Or, to be more precise, it's the area where nerve roots are removed at all levels.

What's the purpose of an epidural injectable?

An epidural steroid injection is used to reduce inflammation and swelling around nerve roots in the epidural area. These nerve roots can be compressed by disc herniation or arthritis, bone, soft tissue or spinal stenosis. There are also situations in which a nerve root may be inflamed by chemicals from degenerative disc disease.

What is the average time it takes to get an epidural injection?

The actual injection usually takes less than 15 minutes.

What are the effects of an epidural injection with steroid injections?

An epidural steroid injection usually includes some numbing medication. This medicine could be Marcaine or lidocaine. Triamcinolone, Methyprednisolone or a combination of both may be included.

Is an epidural start-up injection painful?

An epidural injection involves inserting a needle into the skin near the spinal canal. There is some discomfort. However, before inserting the larger needle, the deeper tissues and skin are numbed with medication like lidocaine. Patients may also receive IV Sedation which makes it easier to tolerate the procedure Office based anesthesia.

Do I need to be anesthetized for the procedure?

An epidural steroid injection is performed without the need for general anesthesia. Many times, patients don't even need IV sedation. Instead, local numbing medication is sufficient. Patients may request IV sedation for anxiety, stress, or just because they want it.

How does the injection work?

There are many ways to position the patient for epidural steroids injections. The patient can lie on their stomachs, on their side, or flat on their stomachs. Much of it depends on the experience of the clinician. The injection site is cleaned and monitored for vital signs before and after the procedure. The patient is usually placed in a wheelchair after the procedure and then transferred to the recovery area until they are ready to go home.

What should I expect from an epidural injection

Patients may feel numbness or a slight weight loss in their legs after an epidural injection. The local numbing medication injected may cause the pain to be significantly reduced or eliminated. After a few hours, the pain will likely subside and you will feel a little soreness in your back. The steroid medication should then kick in and provide pain relief.

What should I do following the epidural procedure

After the injection, patients should arrange for a ride home. Patients who have received IV sedation should arrange for a ride home after the injection. Patients are advised to rest for at least a day after receiving the injection. Except for a rare situation, there should be no restrictions on activity.

Can I return to work tomorrow?

If there was no complication, patients can usually return to work the day after surgery.

What is the duration of my medication for pain?

The local numbing medication will provide immediate pain relief, but this may not last for more than a few hours. Steroid medication should begin to work within 3 to 5 days. It may also last weeks or months.

How many injections do you need?

There is some debate about the number of epidural injections required to relieve pain. Most pain doctors will give a second injection if the first one does not provide relief. If the first injection is effective in relieving the pain, then there's no need to do a second one unless the pain starts to fade.

Can I get more than three injections of epidural steroids?

Pain management doctors typically only give three injections per 3 to 6 month. This is due to the systemic side effects and the additive effect of steroid medication in the body.

How effective are epidural steroids injections?

This topic has been studied extensively and there are many studies. The injections are more effective for patients with sciatica than those suffering from low back pain. The majority of epidural injections for sciatica work well in 65 to 80% percent of cases.

External Links

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