What kind of spinal injections are available?
During spinal injections, the Athens Spine Center team delivers steroids, anesthesia, or a mix of both into the affected part of your spine. Some of the spinal injection options at Athens Spine Center include:
- Lumbar epidural steroid injection
- Selective nerve root block
- Medial branch block
- Sacroiliac joint injection
- Facet joint injection
The Athens Spine Center team also offers other types of specific injections and interventions that treat spinal pain. After diagnosing the reason for your pain, the team can help you decide the ideal interventional pain management approach.
What can I expect during a spinal injection?
The Athens Spine Center team cleans your skin and may inject a local anesthetic before starting the injection. Typically, the team uses X-ray or ultrasound guidance to place your injection in the ideal area.
Depending on the type of injection and situation, the team may reposition the needle for additional medication injections if needed. The team may also apply a small bandage after your procedure.
What happens after spinal injections?
Athens Spine Center gives you post-procedure instructions specific to the type of spinal injection you're having. Generally, this includes taking the rest of the day to relax. Although you can often get back to your routine quite quickly, you can't drive the day of the procedure.
It's normal to have some soreness and discomfort in the spinal injection area. Minimize this with ice packs, 20 minutes at a time, for the day following the procedure. The next day, you can start using heat for pain relief as well, if desired. You may also have some leg numbness for a few hours after your spinal injection.
Generally, you can take over-the-counter pain medication, including aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen for mild-to-moderate pain. In most cases, you can take prescription blood thinners, starting the night of your spinal injection.
For the next 7-10 days, Athens Spine Center recommends keeping a diary to document your reaction to the spinal injections. Make a note of any pain and rate it on a 0-10 scale. You'll share your pain diary with the Athens Spine Center team 7-10 days after treatment, at which time you'll discuss results with the team.
If you experience severe sudden onset pain, leg numbness, bowel issues, or bladder issues, reach out to the team for help.
Stop your chronic pain with help from spinal injections at Athens Spine Center. Call the office at (706) 425-2400 to schedule an appointment today.