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Epidural Injection
Epidural injections into your spinal canal offer relief from stubborn neck and back pain that isn’t responding to other treatments. Double board-certified Munish Loomba, MD, of Advance Comprehensive Pain Care, Inc. in California, is an expert in delivering precise, safe epidural injections that reduce inflammation and pain. To benefit from Dr. Loomba’s experience, call your nearest office in Moreno Valley, Riverside, or Rancho Cucamonga or book an appointment online today.
Epidural Injection Q & A
What is an epidural injection?
An epidural injection contains medications that help relieve painful spinal conditions. The injection is a mixture of a steroid (typically cortisone) and a local anesthetic.
The steroid has potent anti-inflammatory properties that provide long-term pain reduction. The local anesthetic numbs the area to give you a few hours of complete relief from pain.
Why would I need an epidural injection?
You might benefit from an epidural injection if you have a back or neck problem that’s not improving using conservative methods.
Patients with neck and back pain often find their condition improves significantly with the first treatments. These could include different types of physical therapy, medication, and changing the activities you do.
However, some people continue to experience severe symptoms even after several months. If you find yourself in this position, Dr. Loomba might suggest you have an epidural injection.
What conditions can epidural injections treat?
The conditions that epidural injections can treat include:
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
- Arthritis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy is a term for pinched or compressed nerves in your spinal canal. These nerves connect to your spinal cord, which runs down the inside of your spinal column. The spinal cord sends signals to your brain from these nerves, so if one comes under pressure.
Radiculopathy also causes symptoms like tingling, prickling, weakness, and numbness. These symptoms can spread into your shoulders and arms if the compressed nerve is in your neck. Radiculopathy symptoms can affect the hips, buttocks, and legs in your lower back. Sciatica, for instance, involves compression of the sciatic nerve in your lower back and legs.
Because the medication in an epidural injection floods the area containing your affected nerves, they receive a high dose. This makes epidural injections particularly effective for conditions involving nerve compression.
What happens when I have an epidural injection?
Dr. Loomba performs epidural injections on-site for your convenience. Before your epidural injection, he numbs the injection site with some local anesthetic. He inserts the needle into your spine using imaging technology to guide him.
When the needle’s tip is in the correct part of the epidural space in your spine, Dr. Loomba injects the medication. The entire procedure might take around 30 minutes, then afterward, you can go home and rest.
As long as you feel well, you can get back to normal activities the next day. The area might be sore for several days, but this quickly passes. Soon after, you’ll start feeling the benefits of the steroid medication. Some people find epidural injections relieve their pain for months or even years. Others need repeat injections.
To find out more about epidural injections and see if they could help you, call Advance Comprehensive Pain Care, Inc. today or book an appointment online.