An epidural steroid injection is a minimally invasive procedure that delivers steroids via a needle directly into the epidural space to help reduce inflammation. The injection may consist of steroids that inhibit the production of painful inflammatory substances and/or a lidocaine or saline solution to help flush out inflammatory proteins from around the affected area.
Epidural steroid injections are typically administered to patients with chronic pain due to lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease and lumbar spinal stenosis. The analgesic effect is temporary, but can be an effective nonsurgical treatment.
Risks associated with the procedure include infection, bleeding, nerve damage and dural puncture.
