Chronic back pain can drastically alter your quality of life. Simple tasks like sitting at your desk, eating dinner at the dining room table, or even driving can become unmanageable. You’ve tried every at-home remedy recommended—yoga, stretching, light exercise, over-the-counter medications—and nothing has worked so far.
With the help of one of the most reputable spinal treatment locations in Florida, our expert spinal specialists at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery may recommend an epidural steroid injection. An epidural injection is used to block pain caused by nerve impingement. The result is temporary but often used in conjunction with conservative treatment methods to provide short term pain relief. If therapy fails to correct the condition, other treatment should be pursued.
What Is an Epidural Steroid Injection?
An epidural steroid injection uses a needle to place pain-relieving medication directly into the spine. An epidural steroid injection can also be called an ESI, ESI injection, epidural anesthesia, or an epidural block. This space is between the bones, discs, nerves, and tissues of the spine. It is small, but acts as the perfect area for medication to seep into painful issues in the back.
The steroid used is an anti-inflammatory, so it reduces irritation where it needs to. Because of this, epidural steroid injections are most commonly used to relieve the pain of a slipped disc or a pinched nerve.
Is an Epidural Steroid Injection the Right Treatment for me?
You may have heard about an epidural injection before and are wondering whether or not it is the right treatment for you.
If you have given birth before, there may be a large chance that you have already received an epidural block to help relieve pain during the birthing process. But how do you know if it will also work for your back pain?
Commonly, a spinal specialist will attempt other methods before proceeding with the epidural steroid injection, as the treatment is only temporary and only lasts around one to three months. Similarly, if you and your doctor do agree upon the injection, it is likely it will not be your only form of treatment. It often goes hand-in-hand with other conservative treatment methods, such as:
- Lifestyle modification
- Physical therapy
- Analgesic medication
- Spinal health education
- At home stretches and exercise
The epidural steroid injection is one of the most common chronic pain management treatments available and is also a cost-effective lower back treatment. Your doctor may want to try different approaches before the injection, or even use the injection as a way to diagnose the root cause of your pain.
How Does an Epidural Steroid Injection Help?
The procedure is fairly quick and easy, and it often only feels like a minor pinch. It can take up to three days to begin working, and typically the effects will last for at least three months. The injection is used to target lower back pain specifically, also referred to as lumbar radicular pain. There are many conditions associated with lumbar radicular pain, including the following:
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Neurogenic claudication
In order to eliminate the pain, the procedure inserts anti-inflammatory medicine into the space around your spinal cord. The steroid will act on the epidural space, reducing swelling and the current pressure on your nerves.
After the effects of the injection have kicked in, your spinal specialist will then employ other forms of healing, such as physical rehabilitation. It is possible the pain was too intense prior to the injection to properly stretch and move your spine and back. Once the effects have subsided after a couple of months, your doctor may want to wait a couple more months before getting another injection.
Is an Epidural Steroid Injection Permanent?
An epidural steroid injection is not permanent and will need to be maintained with routine visits and injections from your doctor. This kind of treatment is good for those who suffer from regular pain and will need to see their back doctor for injections three to six times a year. After each injection, the relief should last anywhere from three to six months.
In short, this kind of treatment is semi-permanent and your doctor will be able to determine if this regime is best for you and your body. Your doctor can also help you prepare for the procedure and complete recovery effectively.
Why Choose OLSS for My Epidural Steroid Injection?
If you are certain that an epidural injection is the right treatment for you based on a referral from a doctor or recommendation from another surgeon, the highly skilled surgeons at OLSS are a great choice for getting this procedure done.
With some of the most skilled and highly qualified surgeons in the industry, OLSS has one of the highest success rates. This in part is due to making sure patients we accept as candidates go through a candidacy checking process.
To get started just click the link below and take 5 minutes to answer the questions as accurately as possible. Once we receive your answers one of our professional staff will review them and get back in touch with you to provide feedback and let you know if you are a candidate and what the next steps are to get you back to living pain-free.
In Florida? Talk to Your Doctor about Epidural Steroid Injections
When it is time to make epidural steroid injections a part of your healthcare routine, you can talk it over with your trusted doctor at Orthopedic Laser & Spine Surgery. They will work hard to ensure you will be comfortable and educated about the procedure and what it will do to improve your health and quality of life. Give us a call at (855) 853-6542 or reach out online to find out more about epidural steroid injections.