Do I Need Epidural Steroid Injections?
Most people think that epidural injections are only for expecting mothers giving birth, that’s not true. Epidural steroid injections are often used to reduce inflammation in the spinal nerves by injecting a steroid medication into the spine. Nerves that are inflamed can be very painful and impact your ability to get around.
Epidural injections not only relieve radiating back pain, but they’re also a good option for patients wanting a conservative method to treating their symptoms.
Common Symptoms Treated by Epidural Injections
Epidural injections are commonly used as a method for treating spinal nerves that are inflamed. These nerves are typically compressed or inflamed from conditions such as:
- Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative disc degeneration
- Sciatica
- Herniated disc
- Bulging disc
- Spinal stenosis
Pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness where the affected nerves are located is common with all of these conditions.
Most Common Conditions Treated by Epidural Injections
Epidural injections are a great option for treating nerve-related back pain such as spinal stenosis and sciatica. The location of where the pain is located is the determining factor for if epidural injections are the right pain management treatment for you.
Epidural injections are a type of injection that provides prompt pain relief for intense pain when other methods have failed. These injections do not offer permanent pain relief, however, it does provide adequate relief to allow your body enough time to heal.
Good candidates for epidural injections are patients who have been diagnosed with the following spine conditions:
- Sciatica
- Bulging disc
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Radiating back pain
- Failed back surgery
To make sure you’re a good candidate for epidural injections, Dr. Murthy will review your spinal diagnosis, other treatments you’ve undergone, the current condition of your spine condition, and any diagnostic imaging that’s been completed that’s relevant.