Spinal injections
Spinal injections
Spinal injections are a method to treat chronic pain in your back or neck that arises due to disc-related diseases resulting from the discs wearing down between the vertebrae or arthritis in the joints of the spine. It is also used to treat pain from injuries. Spinal injections are a less invasive and relatively conservative treatment option.
Therapeutic epidural spinal injections involve injecting an anaesthetic and/or an anti-inflammatory medication or a class of steroid near the affected nerve. The needle is placed into the epidural space, which is located just outside of the membrane that protects the spinal cord.
For the steroid to start to have an effect on most people, it takes two to three days, and it peaks in about two weeks. Therefore, it may be a while before you feel a change in your pain.
Epidural steroid injections have been used for years and are considered one of the safest options for pain management in the lower back, with small but extremely rare risks involved.