When a spinal condition causes significant back, neck or leg pain, even temporary relief can go a long way toward improving mobility, overall health, and quality of life. Epidural injections are a common method for treating inflammation, numbness, shooting pains, or other aches and discomforts stemming from various conditions, such as herniated discs, bone spurs, spine trauma, or abnormal spinal alignment. Depending on the severity of the condition, conservative pain management methods, such as epidural medicine injections at the site of nerve damage or injury, can provide adequate treatment.
At ProMedSPINE, our expert spine and neurosurgeons utilize non-invasive procedures, such as epidural injections, to provide patients with symptom relief from as little as a few days up to a year.
What are Epidural Injections?
An “epidural” refers to a procedure in which medicine is injected into the space that surrounds the spinal cord and nerve roots within the affected vertebra. Typically, steroids (cortisone) or anesthesia is injected to relieve pain in the neck, back, arms or legs by reducing inflammation or interrupting signals sent to and from the affected nerve.
Types of Injections
The type and location of the epidural injections will depend on the condition that is causing the pain, as well as the patient’s symptoms. At ProMedSPINE, our skilled doctors will evaluate the unique circumstances of each patient to develop an individualized treatment plan appropriate to him or her.
The most common conditions that may be treated with epidural injections include the following:
- Neck, Shoulder, Arm or Back Pain: Pinched nerves, herniated discs, trauma, or spinal stenosis in the neck (cervical spine) can cause numbness, pain, or tingling in the shoulders, arms or back. Cervical epidural injections of steroids or anesthesia may alleviate pain and discomfort in the neck and upper body.
- Upper Back, Ribs, Chest or Abdomen Pain: Degenerative disc disease, injury, herniated discs or other painful conditions in the upper and middle spine (thoracic spine) can cause pain and discomfort in the ribs, chest, abdomen and upper back, and may even make it difficult to breathe. Thoracic epidural injections are used to target painful spinal conditions in the mid-upper back and body.
- Lower Back, Hip, Buttock or Leg Pain: Injury, disc degeneration, osteoarthritics, or spinal stenosis in the lower spine (lumbar spine) can cause pain, muscle spasms, stiffness or soreness that may travel around the legs and lower body (also known as sciatica or radicular pain). Lumbar epidural injections can provide pain relief for a few days to a year.
- Chronic Lower Back Pain: Also known as a nerve block, the lumbar transforaminal epidural injection targets the nerve roots that exit the spine in the space known as the foramen. It can be used to diagnose the source of lower back pain or radiating pain in the leg.
To learn more about epidural injections, please visit Spine-Health.com.
Contact a Spinal Pain Management Expert Today!
Back pain and spinal conditions can significantly impact one’s quality of life by impairing mobility and overall health. If you are suffering from back pain, contact our experienced surgeons to determine the best course of action for treating your condition. Contact ProMedSPINE and schedule a consultation to receive an accurate diagnosis or to get a second opinion. Our goal is to reduce pain and improve quality of life for all of our patients. Contact us today!
Next, learn about cervical epidural injections.