Chronic back pain is complex. There are plenty of conservative treatment options like medication, physical therapy, and activity modification — but what happens when these methods don’t do enough to relieve your pain?
While you might assume surgery is the next step, that’s not necessarily the case. Epidural steroid injections are minimally invasive and target nerve-related back pain, which could give you the effective relief you need.
Our team at Interventional Spine and Pain Institute specializes in nonsurgical back pain management, and here’s what you should know about epidurals if you’re living with chronic back pain.
Nerve compression and irritation are common sources of back pain, whether you have a chronic condition like arthritis or an acute injury like a herniated disc. The changes in your spine can compress or irritate nerve roots, cause inflammation, and trigger pain signals.
An epidural injection contains powerful anti-inflammatory medication that’s delivered directly into the epidural space of your spine, which is the area surrounding your spinal cord and nerve roots. It can be a more effective solution for chronic back pain than traditional oral pain relievers, because it doesn’t have to circulate throughout your entire body first.
The procedure uses fluoroscopy — real-time X-ray imaging — to guide a needle into the epidural space. Once it’s positioned correctly, we inject the medication exactly where inflammation is irritating your nerves and causing pain.
The steroid reduces inflammation around the compressed or irritated nerve. As inflammation decreases, nerve irritation and associated pain diminish. Many people experience significant relief that develops over several days and weeks as inflammation continues decreasing.
Epidural steroid injections can effectively treat pain from conditions like:
In general, epidural injections work best for pain involving nerve compression or irritation rather than purely muscular pain. Our team can help you determine whether epidural injections are appropriate for your specific condition and treatment goals.
We do epidural injections on an outpatient basis, and the entire procedure typically takes 15-30 minutes. To start, you lie face-down on an exam table. We cleanse your back with antiseptic and apply a local anesthetic to numb your skin.
We use fluoroscopy to guide needle placement, and you might feel pressure or slight discomfort as we move the needle into place. Once the needle is in the right spot in the epidural space, we inject the medication. Many people feel a sense of pressure or warmth, but it should not be painful.
We remove the needle, apply a bandage, and monitor you as you rest briefly in recovery. You can return home the same day, and we recommend resting for the remainder of the day and avoiding strenuous activity for 24 hours while your body responds to the injection.
Some people experience pain relief within hours as numbing medication takes effect. The steroid itself takes a bit longer to start reducing inflammation, and more significant pain relief typically develops over several days to a week. Maximum benefit often takes 2-3 weeks, as inflammation continues to decrease.
Pain relief from epidural injections typically lasts several weeks to several months, and sometimes even longer. They work best combined with physical therapy, appropriate medications, and activity modification that supports your ongoing healing. If your pain returns, we can discuss whether additional injections are a good option for you.
When conservative care doesn’t seem to be enough for your back pain, epidural steroid injections might be worth considering. Contact Interventional Spine and Pain Institute online or call one of our offices in Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Vero Beach, Florida, to take the first step toward a life with less back pain.
