If you have chronic neck and back pain, you know how debilitating it can be. It affects your daily activities, abilities to work, and overall quality of life. When conservative treatments like physical therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes don’t provide sufficient relief, an epidural injection might be the next step in your pain management plan.
Here at Expert Pain in Houston, Texas, Ioannis Skaribas, MD, DABA, FASA, evaluates your situation to determine if an epidural injection is the best choice for your treatment. Read on to learn more about this minimally invasive procedure and its benefits.
Epidural injections are made up of a corticosteroid medication combined with a local anesthetic. They’re administered directly into the epidural space around the spinal nerves.
This targeted approach helps reduce inflammation and alleviate pain, which can successfully bring relief to various spinal conditions.
Dr. Skaribas recommends epidural injections for several spinal conditions, including:
A herniated disc results when the soft inner material of a spinal disc protrudes through a tear in its outer layer, pressing on nearby nerves. This can cause significant pain, numbness, and weakness. Epidural injections reduce inflammation around the affected nerves, easing pain.
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal, which can compress the spinal cord and nerves. This condition often results in pain, tingling, and muscle weakness. Epidural injections can help relieve the pressure on the nerves and reduce pain and discomfort.
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the legs. It’s often caused by a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. Epidural injections can target the inflamed area, providing relief from the radiating pain and improving mobility.
Degenerative disc disease is a condition where the spinal discs deteriorate over time, leading to pain and discomfort. Epidural injections can help manage the pain by reducing inflammation around the affected discs and nerves.
We may recommend epidural injections as the best treatment for your neck or back pain when you’ve been experiencing chronic neck or back pain for several months without significant relief from other treatments. An epidural injection could provide the relief you need.
You may also benefit from an epidural injection if you have pain that limits your ability to perform daily activities, such as walking, sitting, or standing for extended periods.
Pain that radiates from the spine to the extremities, such as sciatica, can often be alleviated with epidural injections, as they target the source of nerve irritation.
When conservative treatments like physical therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes haven’t provided adequate relief, an epidural injection may be the next step in your pain management plan. This is especially true when surgery is not a viable option due to health concerns or personal preference.
Epidural injections offer a minimally invasive alternative that can provide significant pain relief.
We typically provide epidural injections on an outpatient basis, meaning you can go home the same day. When you show up for your appointment, you’ll be ushered to a private treatment room where you’re positioned comfortably.
A technician cleans and sterilizes the injection site. Dr. Skaribas applies a local anesthetic to numb the injection site and uses fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray) or ultrasound to guide the needle to the precise location in the epidural space.
After injection of the corticosteroid medication and local anesthetic, we monitor you for a short period before you’re released to go home. You may experience some soreness at the injection site, but this typically resolves quickly.
If you’re struggling with persistent pain, radiating discomfort, or limited mobility, contact Expert Pain today. We offer treatments like epidural injections to help ease your pain and restore your quality of life.
