What are epidural injections?
Epidural injections provide a safe and effective way to manage pain and inflammation.
During an epidural injection appointment, your Athens Spine Center provider administers medication via injection to the epidural space around the spinal cord. Once the medicine enters your epidural space, it limits pain and swelling, allowing your body’s natural healing process to take effect.
Epidural injections usually contain a combination of steroids, anesthetics, and anti-inflammatory medications. Depending on the source of your discomfort, your doctor might use imaging guidance with fluoroscopy or CT scans to target the specific area, providing a more successful outcome.
What conditions can epidural injections treat?
At Athens Spine Center, the interventional pain management experts use epidural injections to address a variety of musculoskeletal problems, including:
- Herniated or bulging vertebral discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Post-operative or “failed back surgery” syndrome
- Spinal nerve injuries
- Damage to the vertebrae
- Damage to surrounding musculoskeletal tissues
You might also benefit from an epidural injection if you’re experiencing pain caused by bone spurs.
How do I prepare for an epidural injection?
Before administering an epidural injection, your Athens Spine Center provider conducts a physical exam, reviews your medical history, and asks you questions about your symptoms.
If you take prescription medications or nutritional supplements, your doctor might also ask you to make adjustments in the days leading up to your injection. To prevent an upset stomach, you should avoid eating or drinking anything 12 hours before your appointment.
You’ll also want to have a friend or family member on hand to drive you home following the procedure.
What happens during an epidural injection?
On the day of your epidural injection, you change into a gown and lie down on an exam table. Your doctor administers your epidural drug via a syringe that looks very similar to the one used for routine immunization. The type of medication your doctor includes in your epidural depends on your underlying symptoms and goals for treatment.
To achieve the best possible results, your doctor uses fluoroscopy or CT imaging to guide the needle. Once your provider pinpoints the source of your discomfort, they release the medication into your epidural space. Some people experience relief almost instantly. Others require a series of epidural injections.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of epidural injections, schedule an appointment at Athens Spine Center by calling the office today.