Epidural Injections Specialist

What are epidural injections?

Epidural injections contain two drugs. One is a steroid, a potent anti-inflammatory, and the other is a local anesthetic. The steroid reduces the nerves and tissue inflammation causing your back or neck pain. The anesthetic numbs your pain entirely for several hours.

The injections go into the epidural space in your spine. Steroids are long-acting, reducing pain for several months and often longer. The local anesthetic has a short-acting effect, wearing off later in the day. But many patients find that interrupting the pain has long-term benefits, breaking the cycle so that the pain is less intense when it returns.

Why would I need epidural injections?

Epidural injections help reduce chronic neck and arm or back and leg pain when other treatments don’t work. They’re particularly effective in conditions involving nerve damage or pressure.

The nerves in your spine branch out from the central spinal cord. As they leave to spread throughout your body, the nerves pass through gaps in the vertebrae (bones) that form your spinal column. If there’s any damage to the spinal structures, your nerves can be squashed or pinched between the bones, causing intense pain.

Conditions that often cause this problem include herniated discs, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis (a narrowed spinal canal). Bone spurs caused by arthritis, disc material protruding into the spinal canal, and thickened ligaments can put pressure on the spinal nerves.

Many North Houston Pain Center patients experience significant pain relief with conservative treatments like physical therapy, medication, and healthier living. For others who don’t respond so well, epidural injections are the next stage in their treatment.

What happens when I have epidural injections?

Epidural injections are an outpatient procedure at the North Houston Pain Center. You sit or lie face-down on a treatment table, and your doctor numbs the skin at the injection site to keep you comfortable.

Your doctor uses fluoroscopy (a moving X-ray image) to ensure accuracy and avoid tissue damage. This allows them to see where the needle is going. When it’s in position in the epidural space, your doctor injects the medication.

You can go home soon after your epidural injection. Take it easy for the rest of the day and increase your activity level gradually. You should find that the steroid starts to work within a few days.

Call the North Houston Pain Center team today or book an appointment online to learn if epidural injections can reduce your neck or back pain.