Epidural injections have become widely popular in medical treatment to treat back and neck pain. Wondering how a simple injection can give you relief from pain? Read the following guide to learn more.
We understand how neck pain can bring difficulties in your life. A simple movement, a slight tilt of your head, can trigger unbearable pain. The pain might subside with a over-the- counter medicine. If not, your doctor may prescribe an epidural injection.
Epidural injections mainly contain anti-inflammatory steroids that soothe inflammation in the spinal nerves. It is an effective treatment process to manage chronic pain in the neck. Below
is the detailed guide to epidural injection for neck pain management.
Understanding Neck Pain and Nerve Inflammation
If you are suffering from chronic neck pain, there might be different issues. Let’s take a look at them:
- Disc herniation: It is when the soft material at the centre of the spinal disc (like jelly) pushes through its outer barrier and presses the surrounding nerve. It causes pain in the area, or if a cervical nerve is pressed, it can trigger neck pain.
- Degenerative disc disease: It happens when people age. The discs naturally lose water and are less effective in cushioning, then it causes pain in the surrounding nerve.
- Cervical radiculopathy: When a cervical nerve is pressed, it causes neck pain. It can become chronic pain over time.
A cervical epidural injection for neck pain relief is then used by the doctors to relieve your discomfort.
What Is a Cervical Epidural Injection?
A membrane called ‘dura’ protects the nerve root and spinal cord in our body. The surrounding space is called the epidural space. It works as a pathway for the spinal nerves to extend to the arms, neck, shoulders, and hands.
When the nerves in the cervical epidural space are compressed, causing inflammation, it triggers pain in the area. Doctors administer an anti-inflammatory steroid injection in this cervical epidural space to relieve the pain. The name of the injection comes from the space it is administered.
| Type | Injection Location | Common Use |
| Interlaminar | Midline epidural space | Broad pain relief |
| Transforaminal | Nerve root area | Targeted nerve pain |
| Caudal | Lower epidural space | Less common for the neck |
Table 1: Types of Epidural Injections for Neck Pain
How the Procedure Works
To make sure that the medicine is delivered at the exact spot in the cervical epidural space, the help of fluoroscopy is taken. It uses X-rays to create a live ‘X-ray movie.’ So, the doctors can see where the needle should be placed without damaging surrounding tissues.
During the injection process, you might feel a slight pain or discomfort, but the pain will not last if administered carefully.
How Long Do Epidural Injections Last?
How long an epidural injection lasts depends on the type of medicine that has been injected. Your doctor will let you know what you can expect. You might regain senses in the area where the injection is given within a few hours. You should take some rest if you have been given an epidural cervical injection before you start moving your neck normally and doing normal activities.
In terms of managing the pain, an epidural steroid injection will help manage pain for three to six months.
Epidural Steroid Injection Side Effects
Generally, the epidural injection is safe to use, but in rare cases, patients might experience side effects. The most common epidural steroid injection side effect is temporary pain or numbness in the cervical area (or the place where the injection is given).
In rare cases, spinal nerve damage or infection can develop. However, if an experienced doctor has given you the injection, the chances of side effects are few.
| Common | Rare |
| Injection site soreness | Infection |
| Temporary numbness | Nerve injury |
| Headache | Allergic reaction |
Table 2: Common vs Rare Side Effects
Recovery and Aftercare
After the injection is given, you should remain under observation for 2-3 days. If no sign of infection or pain is noticed in the area, you may consider that the injection has been administered successfully.
However, that does not mean you can start lifting heavy immediately. If you ask – ‘How long after epidural injection can I exercise?’, the answer is – ‘It depends’. The medicine will take some time to reduce the pain in the area. After at least 1 week, check with your doctor and evaluate the pain. If your doctor thinks it is safe for you to lift weights or exercise heavily, you can do so.
Your doctor might also suggest light stretching and exercise to strengthen the back muscles. With moderate physical activity, you might recover faster.
How Many Epidural Injections Are Safe?
The epidural injections might take one to two weeks to work properly. Before taking another shot of injection, you should wait 1 or 2 weeks and take another under the doctor’s supervision. To be safe from possible side effects and effectively manage the pain, doctors suggest taking three or four injections per year.
It is important to keep a considerable gap between the injection shots; otherwise, you might risk cumulative steroid exposure, leading to long-term side effects. Moreover, it also allows the doctor to see if you are responding to the injection as per the expectations.
Consult a Doctor for Long-Term Neck Pain Management
If you are suffering from chronic neck pain, you’d better get in touch with a reliable doctor. If the doctor diagnoses nerve damage in the cervical nerve, then he might prescribe a cervical epidural steroid injection in the area.
No need to worry about the possible side effects of the injection if the doctor is reliable and an expert in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is There Any Difference Between ‘cortisone’ and ‘steroid’ Injection?
Cortisone is a type of steroid that is generally used in epidural injections. While steroid is an umbrella term for different types of steroids. Your doctor might prescribe you other types of drugs like methylprednisolone or triamcinolone. All of these injections can be termed as steroid injection, not cortisone injection.
2. I Hear About Athletes Abusing Steroids. Is It Bad for Me to Take Steroid Injections?
Athletes abuse anabolic steroids to enhance their athletic performance. But your doctor will use a catabolic steroid to treat your pain. However, long-term usage of steroids might have side effects, but your doctor will not prescribe steroid injections for a prolonged time. So, no need to worry about catastrophic side effects from steroid usage.
3. I Have Received an Epidural Injection Once, and It Did Not Work. Would Taking Another One Help in Any Way?
Not all patients respond similarly to an epidural injection. If it did not work the first time as expected, there is no reason it would not work the second time. Your doctor may give you a different mix of medicine, or the reason for the pain may have changed. Your doctor will be the one to decide if it is necessary for your issue.
4. Can Anyone Take an Epidural Injection?
No, not everyone can receive an epidural injection. Especially, if the medicine you are already taking clashes with the epidural injection. Your doctor will guide you better in this matter.
