Back and neck pain are two of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. If you’re not getting relief from oral medications, you might be a candidate for epidural steroid injections.
At Integrated Neurology Services PLLC, we specialize in pain management services for adults who are dealing with chronic pain.
Our expert neurologists focus on nonsurgical solutions that provide lasting pain relief, so you can live a physically active life. We might not recommend epidural steroid injections as your first line of treatment, but we can determine when injectable therapies are your best option.
Chronic pain describes aching, burning, or stabbing pain that lasts for 12 weeks or longer.
Chronic pain in your back or neck can be a side effect of trauma from a fall, car accident, or other unexpected event. You might also be susceptible to pain as you get older due to degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.
Other causes of chronic neck and back pain include:
Pain from these conditions may start out mild and occasional. As the condition progresses, however, pain can become more intense and chronic — ultimately interfering with your mobility and quality of life.
Epidural steroid injections deliver anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications into the epidural space around your spine. This space contains a sac with fluids that help protect your spinal cord and nerves.
The anesthetic offers fast-acting relief of back or neck pain. The anti-inflammatory takes longer to work but is effective at reducing inflammation in the spinal tissues.
Epidural steroid injections are beneficial for individuals who are getting pain relief from oral medications. However, this treatment may only be an option for those with chronic pain that is related to conditions like:
This is because the medications used in the injections calm inflammation that contributes to pain. You may not be a candidate for epidural steroid injections if your back or neck pain stems from soft tissue tears or other issues not associated with inflammation.
During your visit to Integrated Neurology Services PLLC, our physicians prepare the injection and help you get comfortable on an exam table. We can also apply a numbing cream to the injection site to keep you comfortable.
Our physicians use real-time X-ray technology (fluoroscopy) to guide a needle into the correct location within your spine. They may also inject a contrast dye first to make sure they deliver the medications into the epidural space.
Immediately after the injection, you may feel some tenderness at the injection site, which can last for a few days.
You may notice a reduction in your pain right away and more relief in the hours after your injection. The steroids take longer to work, so you might not experience the full benefit of the injection for a week or two.
Our providers monitor the effectiveness of the injection during a follow-up visit. If the initial injection was successful at relieving pain, we might recommend additional injections to keep your pain well-controlled.
Call Integrated Neurology Services PLLC in Alexandria, Lorton, or Falls Church, Virginia, today to find out if epidural steroid injections are a treatment option for you. You can also use the online feature to request an appointment.
