Inflammation-Reducing Epidurals
Many patients at Center for Advanced Pain Management and Rehabilitation, LLC have benefited from Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) that help relieve inflammation related to radicular pain emanating either from the lower back into the legs and/or the neck into the shoulders and arms. ESIs reduce inflammation in your spinal nerves and give you relief from pain and pinched nerves.
How Epidurals Work
Inflammation within the spinal column often occurs due to a process called spinal stenosis which is a narrowing of the passage where your spinal cord resides. This can happen for various reasons such as disc herniations, bone spurs, thickening of spine ligaments, joint cysts, or abnormal vertebrae alignment (slipped discs).
The epidural space where the injection is composed of fat which both surrounds and cushions your spinal cord and its nerve branches. We use a needle to deliver potent steroids that will reduce the inflammation resulting in diminished pain and improved function. While the steroids will interrupt the inflammatory cycle, they will not cure the underlying problem. However, the relief in pain will allow you time to make lifestyle adjustments and pursue things such as physical therapy that will improve your body's strength and enable you to compensate for the condition.
Three Types of Epidurals
ESIs have 3 different spinal approaches:1) Interlaminar ESIs are injected from behind into the posterior portion of the spine.
2) Caudal ESIs inject medication into the base of the tailbone and bathe the selected nerve roots.
3) Transforaminal ESIs inject medication into the space next to the intervertebral disc and nerve root.
As with all our injection procedures, we utilize X-ray guidance to accurately direct our needles. The first step of the procedure involves injecting numbing medication to locally anesthetize the skin over the selected treatment area. The second step of the procedure injects contrast dye to verify that the needle has been properly placed and that the medication we use will properly flow where it should. The final step of the procedure injects the actual steroid medication into the selected epidural space.
Many of our patients whom elect to receive ESIs are able to return to their normal activities the following day!