Epidural injections are given to relieve chronic back pain. An epidural steroid injection contains steroids, anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications. This combination of medication reduces inflammation and swelling that causes back pain, and is delivered directly into the epidural space of the spine with an epidural steroid injection.

Are you a Candidate for Epidural Steroid Injections?

Epidural injections are usually recommended for people suffering from chronic back pain or sciatica and have not been able to obtain relief using conservative treatment methods. Patients with a bulging or herniated disc are candidates for epidural steroid injections.

Epidural injections can also prove beneficial for spinal stenosis patients. Car accident victims who have suffered a spinal injury or people recovering from failed back surgery syndrome can also be given epidural injections to relieve back pain.

What happens in an Epidural Injection?

Epidural injections involve using a hypodermic needle to inject corticosteroids into the epidural space of the spine. This reduces the pain and inflammation in the spinal discs and the pressure on the spinal nerves. Image guidance or fluoroscopy is used for accurate placement of the needle and improving the efficacy of the epidural injections.

There are three types of epidural injections:

Interlaminar Epidural Injection – injection of steroid between the “lamina” bones

Transforaminal Epidural – injection of medication where the nerve root is being pinched

Caudal Epidural – injection of steroid medication very low in the spine and allowing it to migrate to multiple levels for pain relief

All Star Pain Management and Regenerative Medicine offer a variety of minimally invasive pain treatments with skilled and experienced Maryland pain management doctors.