What are epidural injections?
When patients have back pain, epidural injections are one of the many treatments offered by the highly skilled team at TruWell Health. Epidural injections are typically an option for patients who have pain that doesn't improve with the most conservative treatments.
The medication in epidural injections goes into the epidural space, which is a slim gap around the dura, a layer of tissue surrounding your spinal cord. Nerves exiting the spinal cord go through the epidural space as they spread into your body.
Epidural injections provide a temporary period of pain relief and longer-term reduction in inflammation.
How do epidural injections work?
Epidural injections contain two types of medication:
Local anesthetic
The local anesthetic in an epidural injection gives you almost instant relief from your pain. The medication numbs the area, so you feel nothing for several hours, sometimes longer. The relief is short-lived because the anesthetic wears off, but it does give you a break from your pain.
Steroids
Reducing inflammation is a major factor in relieving chronic pain, and steroids are very effective anti-inflammatory drugs. They work more slowly than the anesthetic and can provide a degree of relief for several months, or even longer in some cases.
Patients who have epidural injections often find that even when the effects of the medications should have worn off, their pain isn’t as intense when it returns.
Why might I need an epidural injection?
You might need an epidural injection if you have facet joint arthritis, and other treatments aren't relieving your pain.
The facet joints in your spine link the vertebrae together. Just like any of your joints, they can be subject to various types of arthritis. The resulting inflammation can cause chronic back pain, along with the stiffness that is typical of most forms of arthritis.
Sometimes, your body responds to the inflammation in your facet joints by producing new bone growth. These bone spurs (osteophytes) develop to reinforce your spine's stability, but in many cases, they cause further problems instead.
One of these problems is nerve irritation and compression. A bone spur that's rubbing against a nerve or pressing on it can cause intense pain and could cause symptoms like weakness, numbness, or tingling sensations.
Epidural injections can reduce the inflammation and ease your symptoms. They're just one of an extensive range of advanced treatments provided by TruWell Health. To find out more, call their office today, or book an appointment online.
