Steroid Injections

STEROID INJECTIONS

Steroid Injections are a relatively common procedure in treating all kinds of chronic pain from arthritis, to herniated discs and more. This technique is used to get the steroid medication to the site that is causing pain quickly, and giving the patient faster relief.

Cervical epidural steroid injections

Cervical epidural steroid injections can be used to treat pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and arms. This pain could be caused by conditions such as cervical radiculitis, cervical bulging discs, and cervical spinal stenosis. Patients suffering from symptoms of sciatica, nerve root compression, herniated discs, and spinal inflammation may benefit from cervical epidural steroid injections.

Procedure

Before the procedure, the injection site is numbed with a local anesthetic. The site is then injected with a contrast solution, allowing the physician to guide the epidural injection with the help of fluoroscopy. Patient sedation may be offered on an as-needed basis. The procedure usually takes only 10-15 minutes to complete, but in some cases, our physicians may wish to monitor their patients for 20-60 minutes before discharging them. The patient may resume their normal daily activities the following day.

Most patients experience pain relief 3-5 days after an epidural steroid injection, though some may experience relief sooner. Patients are typically restricted to three injections per year, in order to prevent bone weakening due to prolonged steroid exposure. Although some patients may need as many as three injections in order to experience the full benefit of the medicine, many patients feel significant relief after their first injection, and do not need additional treatments.

Lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections

Lumbar transforaminal steroid injections can be used to treat pain in the lower back and legs. This pain could be caused by conditions such as lumbar radiculitis, lumbar bulging discs, and lumbar spinal stenosis. Patients suffering from symptoms of sciatica, nerve root compression, herniated discs, and spinal inflammation may benefit from lumbar transforaminal steroid injections.

Procedure

Before the procedure, the injection site is numbed with a local anaesthetic. The site is then injected with a contrast solution, allowing the physician to guide the epidural injection with the help of fluoroscopy. Patient sedation may be offered on an as-needed basis. The procedure usually takes only 10-15 minutes to complete, but in some cases, physicians may wish to monitor their patients for 20-60 minutes before discharging them. The patient may resume their normal daily activities the following day.

Most patients experience pain relief 3-5 days after an epidural steroid injection, though some may experience relief sooner. Patients are typically restricted to three injections per year, in order to prevent bone weakening due to prolonged steroid exposure. Although some patients may need as many as three injections in order to experience the full benefit of the medicine, many patients feel significant relief after their first injection, and do not need additional treatments.

This site is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and links to other sites, AVALA Spine provides general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through links to other sites, is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use this information in place of a visit, call consultation or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. AVALA Spine is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or product you obtain through this site.

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