Injections

Epidural Injection Procedure

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

On this page:

Preparing to receive an epidural steroid injection
Number and frequency of epidural steroid injections vary

The epidural steroid injection procedure takes place in a surgery center, hospital, or a physician’s clinic. Many types of physicians can be qualified to perform an epidural steroid injection, including an anesthesiologist, radiologist, neurologist, physiatrist and surgeon.

Cervical, thoracic and lumbar facet joint injections

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

Cervical, thoracic and lumbar interlaminar epidural injections

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

Epidural steroid injections

Costotransverse and Costovertebral Joint Injections

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

Costovertebral and costotransverse joint injection results and follow-up

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

Twenty to thirty minutes after the procedure, the patient will be asked to try to provoke the usual pain. Patients may or may not obtain pain relief in the first few hours after the injection, depending upon whether or not the area injected is the main source of the patient’s upper back pain. On occasion, patients may feel numb or a slightly weak/odd feeling for a few hours after the injection. This may last several hours, but the patient should be able to function safely, if proper precautions are taken.

Epidural results and precautions

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

As with any medical procedure, there are certain drawbacks and potential risks associated with an epidural steroid injection for back pain, leg pain or arm pain. One of the most important issues to consider is that the procedure only tends to significantly lessen the patient’s pain about half of the time.

Epidural steroid injection pain relief success rates

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

Patients will find that the benefits of an epidural steroid injection include a reduction in pain, primarily in leg pain (also called sciatica or radicular pain). Patients seem to have a better response when the epidural steroid injections are coupled with an organized therapeutic exercise program.

Epidural Steroid Injections

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:10:00 -0800

How an epidural steroid injection works

The most commonly performed injection is an epidural steroid injection. In this approach, a steroid is injected directly around the dura, the sac around the nerve roots that contains cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that the nerve roots are bathed in). Prior to the injection, the skin is anesthetized by using a small needle to numb the area in the low back (a local anesthetic).

Facet joint and epidural injections: doctor answers patient questions

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:09:59 -0800

The doctor is in!

Peter Ullrich, MD

Facet joint injection results and follow-up

Ben Parr — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:32:38 -0700

On the day a patient is to receive a facet joint injection, they are advised to avoid doing any strenuous activities, unless instructed by their physician. The patient should not drive the day of the injection unless approved by the treating physician. If sedation was used, the patient should not drive for 24 hours after the procedure.