Struggling with chronic back pain, and now your doctor has suggested an epidural injection. Having doubts about the epidural injection is common; we get it. You must identify your doubts and ask the doctors to clear the clouds of your anxious thoughts. Or, read our discussion to know what questions you must ask your doctors before taking an epidural injection.
Key Takeaways
- Epidural injections are of three types – Transforaminal, Caudal, and Interlaminar
- Ask your doctor which injection type is suitable for you
- Make sure the pain is due to a pinched nerve, not other issues
- Do not consume anti-inflammatory drugs or blood thinners before the injection
An epidural injection has been widely used as a pain reliever in medical science. However, if you do not know how it works or what the process of administering the injection is, you will have doubts about it. So, let’s start the discussion by understanding how it works.
Epidural Injection: What It is and How it Works
An epidural injection is given into the epidural space around your spinal nerve. The epidural space is the outermost part of the spinal canal, which is located between the vertebrae and the outer membrane of the spinal cord.
The name of the injection comes from the place it is administered – the epidural space. Doctors prescribe the injection due to medical issues like:
- Chronic backpain
- For pain relief after the surgery
- To offer relief from labour pain
- Managing chronic backpain
How Does an Epidural Injection Work?
The epidural injections coat the damaged nerves, causing pain. The medication blocks pain signals from your spinal nerves from travelling to your brain. The effectiveness of an epidural caudal steroid inection depends on how much medication is administered.
Now, let’s see what questions you should ask your doctors before getting an epidural injection.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before an Epidural Injection
When you hear your doctor say that the epidural steroid injection will be administered in your spine, doubts about safety and other questions arise. Let’s explore them one by one.
1. Who Do You Consider to Be the Best Candidates for an Epidural Injection?
If you are a patient suffering from chronic back pain or spinal conditions like sciatica problems – you can be an ideal candidate for epidural steroid injection. In sciatica pain, you will experience a sharp, tingling pain from your lower back to the bottom of your leg. A compression or irritation in the sciatic nerve causes the pain.
At the same time, if you are suffering from chronic cervical pain, you are also the right candidate for the injection. Epidural steroid injections for cervical pain can be administered to treat the pain.
2. Which Type of Epidural Injection is Right for Me?
You should know that there are three types of epidural injections:
- Transforaminal – This one is typically used for patients with sciatica pain
- Caudal – An epidural caudal steroid injection is suitable for patients with herniated discs and leg pain issues
- Interlaminar – This one has versatile usage and can be administered in the arms, neck, back, and legs
So, it depends on what medical condition you are suffering from. It would be better to ask the doctor about your medical issues and then confirm which type of epidural injection is right for you.
3. How Do I Know That the Pain is Really Caused by a Pinched Nerve?
Before the doctor considers administering an epidural steroid injection, he must be sure about the cause of the pain. The epidural injections are prescribed to reduce pain due to swelling or irritation of the nerve. The injection carries anti-inflammatory medication to treat the affected nerve root.
However, you might also be suffering from back pain due to irritation in the facet joints or sacroiliac joint. So, the doctor needs to correctly identify the cause of the backpain to make sure the pain is caused by a pinched nerve.
4. How Would You Administer the Injection?
The process of administering the epidural steroid injection depends on the type of injection your doctor has prescribed for you. For example, the epidural caudal steroid injection is one of the safest ways administer the injection. The needle for the injection is inserted into the epidural space using the sacral hiatus.
While transforaminal injections are administered into the side of the spine. In this space, the nerve roots exit the spinal canal. Injection in this space helps to target the specific nerve root that is causing pain.
5. What if the Pain Returns Even After the Epidural Injection?
Regardless of what the doctor has prescribed – an epidural steroid injection for cervical pain or an epidural caudal steroid injection, the effects of the injection can vary in patients. The effects of the injection can be temporary if the dosage is of a lower level compared to the inflammation level.
In case the pain returns even after the injection is administered, you need to get in touch with the doctors immediately. If the resulting pain is not due to any pinched nerves, then another treatment plan can be started. However, if the dosage of medication is lower compared to the level of inflammation, the doctor might prescribe you alternative treatments.
6. What Are the Dos and Don’ts Before and After Taking an Epidural Injection?
Medication – Before the epidural injection is administered, you should not take any anti-inflammatory drugs or blood thinners. Additionally, the doctor might suggest consuming as little food as possible before the day of the procedure.
Activity – After the injection procedure is over, make sure not to do any heavy work and take rest for the remaining day.
Transportation – It is better to let your driver drive you to the medication centre. The effect of mild sedation after the procedure remains for a few hours. Better ask your driver to drive you home after the procedure.
Side effects – One of the common L5 epidural steroid injection side effects is a mild increase in pain and soreness. You might also feel a bit jittery or see a short-term increase in blood sugar level.
Continuous Monitoring – However, make sure that you continuously monitor your condition post-procedure. Consult the doctor if the area is a bit swollen or develops redness in the area.
7. What is the Best Position to Sleep After an Epidural Steroid Injection?
You can either sleep on your back or on your side. Sleeping on your back is mostly recommended because it helps maintain the natural curve of your body. On the other hand, if you feel uncomfortable sleeping on your back, sleep on your side.
Place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips and spine properly aligned.
Book Your Slot at Docteur Douleur, Get Relief From Back Pain Today!
Epidural injections are considered to be an effective way of managing your back pain. The non-invasive procedure does not require the patient to admit in the hospital for a long time. Just take an appointment at the clinic and take the epidural injection.
If you are suffering from backpain for a very long time, book an appointment at Docteur Douleur. Get yourself treated as soon as possible before the issues go beyond your control. If the doctor sees fit, he may prescribe an epidural injection.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do You Offer Ultrasound-guided Injection?
Yes, at Docteur Douleur, we use ultrasound-guided injections for a safer administration of the injection. It allows our doctors to safely deliver the medicine without damaging surrounding nerves.
2. Do You Offer Surgery to Manage Your Back Pain?
Yes, we have the capacity to operate on you to manage back pain. Our expert doctors can perform spinal surgeries, joint surgeries, etc.
3. How Do Your Doctors Help Manage Chronic Pain?
Prescribing an epidural injection is a way of managing chronic back pain. But we identify the main cause of the back pain and plan for a treatment accordingly.
4. Can I Book an Appointment at Your Clinic at a Time Suitable for Me?
Yes, you can book your slot as per your convenience, provided that our doctors are available at that time. However, we do our best to allot the timing you want.
5. How Can I Book an Appointment at Your Clinic?
You can visit our website and fill in your details to book an appointment. Or call us at 514 400 3291 to book an appointment.