Injections for Back Pain Relief
Introduction:
When back pain won’t go away, doctors will consider all the treatment options that could help the patient, treatment options range from exercise and physical therapy to medication. Part of that treatment option which is minimally invasive and without surgery include injections to ease back pain and inflammation. These injections usually consist of anti-inflammatory drug and a numbing medicine. These injections are given under the guidance of C-Arm (x-ray) with a long spinal needle.
What They Treat: (Injections for Back Pain Relief)
Back injections may help treat two major back pain problems:
Inflammation or damage to a nerve, usually in the neck or the low back. Doctors call this “radiculopathy.” The problem originates where the nerve exits the spine. With radiculopathy, sharp pain shoots from the lower back down into one or both legs, or from the neck into the arm. A herniated disk can cause radiculopathy.
Spinal stenosis: which means that the spine has narrowed. This can happen because a herniated disk is pressing on the spine, or because a bone spur(extra-growth) is extending into that space, or, less commonly, if a tumor presses on the spine. Spinal stenosis compresses the nerves inside. This usually causes pain in the buttock or leg. patients may or may not also have back pain. The pain from spinal stenosis may get worse when you’re active, and ease up when you lean forward.
Doctors also use injections for other types of back pain. Sometimes, they also use them to help find out what’s causing the pain.
Doctors can get injections in the area around the inflamed or damaged nerves. There are several kinds of injections, including:
- Epidural
- Nerve block
- Discography
Back Pain- Nerve Block Injections:
In a nerve block, a doctor injects the area around the nerve with a numbing medicine, and anti-inflammatory medicine. After a nerve block injection, you’ll quickly have numbness with near-complete pain relief.
Discography:
Some doctors use nerve block injections to try to diagnose what’s causing the back pain. Patients will be asked which injection causes the back pain to go away. That nerve may then be chosen for an epidural injection with both anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic medicine.
Epidural Injections:
Epidural means “around the spinal cord.” These injections include a anti-inflammatory medicine, and usually an anaesthetic medicine. Their effects seem to only last a short time(over period of several months and offer modest pain relief. So these might not be something you’d get for long-term back pain.
Back Pain-Side Effects:
Mild soreness or pain at the site after an injection for back pain is common. Headache, nausea, and vomiting can also happen. You should discuss the risks and benefits and other options with your doctor.
