Spinal Injections
December 12, 2011 - 2:34pm
Epidural Steroids are dangerous to the spinal cord and nerves!!
Any injection of steroids into the spine are dangerous. It has been documented repeatedly that these injections contain preservatives like prophylyne glycol, which by the way is the main ingredient in antifreeze, and benzoyl alcohol, which burns nerves and tissue, among others. These injections even have warning labels on the bottle that say " not for intathecal use", and yet that is ignored every day in pain clinics around the country
I urge you to read NOWHERE.COM for more information and medical backup. Hit the lumbar bar and start reading about the epidural injections along with the disease Arachnoiditis, which I myself personally struggle with due to this malpractice procedure. Please do your research before any more spinal injections. You can even google depo medrol, look at the images link, and read the label for yourself. I and many others have suffered greatly due to ignorance and downright malpractice. There are even articles about this on pubmed. Please, please do your homework!
If you have questions my email is
Post edited to remove URL and Email address. Please read the Forum rules. Researching Spinal Injections, you will find that there are many positive results. But as with many medical treatments, there are always some potential negative side effects. But that does not mean that a treatment, such as ESI's should be considered dangerous.
Ron DiLauro, Spine-Health System Administrator 02/18/12
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Deborah Howard
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Thank you for the info...this is not new information. It is just one of the many risks we take on having these injections. We have to decide which is more important, the benefit that we gain from decreasing inflammation if we have an acute situation verses the risk as you have mentioned. Understanding all the risks are a part of informed consent for this and any procedure.
SG
frogmom - Hi
I am not sure but just so you are aware your post my gt flagged or edited for posting a website and/or your email address - both of which are frowned on 
BUT your helpful intent on sharing info is in the right place
So far I have turned down the injections, but am getting a LOT of pressure from my Drs again to do it ......sigh
Ms. Humpty Dumpty Took a great fall. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 full herniations. Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, DDD, scoliosis. Knees, hips & spine have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs. Age 50 - Here to find & offer support. *Had bilateral knee replacement surgery done March 15th, 2011
I guess it is my own stupidity but don't think I was even given anything that listed any side effects.. I have some menstral issues right now that the Pain Mgt. Dr. said it wouldn't be related but Gyno Dr. office said it definitely could be related..... thanks for the info, will check it out.
Epidural steroid injections work!!
They are well worth any minor side effects they may cause.
I had some relief from the injections, not pain free but better. Had 5 injections in 7 weeks, pain is starting to get worse again. But in the meantime I had menstrual issues, 2 months straight of menstrual bleeding but ended up having alation and all is good now. I am trying to decide what my next step is... just would like to get rid of the pain but know that might not be possible....
I have had 26 injections in my back some epidural and some facet injections? that was in 2yrs......NONE WORKED FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS.. I had discectomy in 2006 and have been in chronic pain ever since, the pain DR keeps telling me that the injections dont hurt me have no effect on my body. I just went to the Virginia Spine Institute in Reston Va and that Dr told me NOT to let that dr ever give me another injection...all about Money....now I am looking at fusion and surgery on my neck as well I am now thinking that those injections in my neck as well as lumbar have caused more pain.....
In some cases they work. In some cases they work minimally and they are short lived. In many cases they don't work at all and sometimes they make you worse, IMO they are NOT worth the risk.
I want to a doctor with a "good reputation" and I had a reaction to the dye and then it got worse. I had hives for over a year. I had a panic reaction from the cortisone and that is not the worst of it. I had a spinal fluid leak and I suffered a horrible head ache for weeks. They tried a blood patch that didn't work. I had seizures.
The adverse reactions of ESI are very high. Roll the dice if you want but they can be lethal.
I'm scheduled for an epidural injection this Monday, but don't want to go through with it if it doesn't help or could cause more problems than it's worth. I'm desperate for some relief since I have missed work this week due to the awful pain.It hurts to stand or sit more than 10 minutes.My full-time job requires me to sit all day. My meds are Hydrocodone 7.5 -3.25 4x day which I have been taking for 7 years.They refuse to up my dosage and act like I'm crazy asking them to take me out of work.Why don't they understand my pain level?
I was diagnosed with DDD in 1997, had a fusion/laminectomy at L5-S1 in 98 (didn't help)and my recent MRI shows L5-S1 significant loss of disc height&signal.Mild impression upon thecal sac, ligamentous and facet hypertrophy.
L4-L5 has disc bulge, loss of disc height and signal,bone spurs,ligamentous and facet hypertrophy, moderate foraminal narrowing.
Diagnosed with DDD in 1997, had a fusion/laminectomy at
L5-S1 in 98 (didn't help)and my recent MRI shows L5-S1 significant loss of disc height&signal.Mild impression upon thecal sac, ligamentous and facet hypertrophy.
L4-L5 has disc bulge, loss of disc height and signal,bone spurs,ligamentous and facet hypertrophy, moderate foraminal narrowing.
I have had several ESI and have had short term relief. It seems to be the only option I have right now. I have stenosis brought on by severe scoliosis. I have a 72 degree curve in my thoracic spine and a 60 something degree curve in my cervical spine. The majority of my pain comes from the stenosis which causes a lot of leg pain. I work in retail as a buyer and travel a great deal with my job, standing and walking are the most painful things I can do. I take Cymbalta, Gabapentin and Oxyprozin for pain daily and take 10/325 Hydrochodone as needed, which lately seems to be a lot.
Surgery to help the stenosis, i am told, is almost prohibitive because of the severity of my scoliosis as it greatly complicates the surgery.
I would love any info that anyone would like to share.