Paincare Florida

Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections

PAIN TREATMENT

Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections: Pain Management

Chronic back pain can disrupt your life and make it difficult to get through your daily routine. Not only does back pain impact you physically, but it can affect your mental well-being.[1] Chronic pain requires effective pain management strategies to improve your comfort and quality of life.

If your lower back or leg pain hasn’t improved with rest, stretching, over-the-counter pain relievers or even prescription medications, it’s time to look at other options. Lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESIs) offer a targeted approach to relieving pain and inflammation caused by various spinal conditions.[2]

How Lumbar Corticosteroid Injections Work

Lumbar steroid injections offer pain sufferers a non-surgical, less invasive alternative to manage lower back pain. LESIs deliver a potent anti-inflammatory, called steroids or corticosteroids, directly into the space around your spinal cord in your lower back.[3] When introduced to the epidural space, the medication reduces pain by relieving the irritation and inflammation of the spinal nerves.[3]

Lumbar steroid injections take about 30 minutes to complete. While you rest comfortably on the exam table, your doctor will use fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray imaging) to precisely guide the needle into the epidural space. Before administering the steroid injection, a contrast dye is injected to confirm the exact placement of the needle, ensuring the medication reaches the targeted area for maximum effectiveness.[2] Most patients feel relief within a few days, although it may take up to a week for the full effects to be noticed.

Conditions Treated with Steroid Spinal Injections

Inflammation and nerve irritation can cause lower back pain that radiates into your hips, buttocks, and legs. Lumbar injections can help reduce this pain and inflammation, offering relief for months.

Back pain injections offer a noninvasive solution for a variety of lumbar spine conditions, including:

  • Herniated disc[4]
  • Slipped discs[4]
  • Radicular pain [5]
  • Neuropathic pain [5]
  • Failed back surgery syndrome [5]
  • Spinal stenosis[5]
  • Scoliosis [5]
  • Compression fracture with radiating pain [5]
  • Sciatica[5]
  • Joint cysts[4]
  • Bone spurs[4]
  • Degenerative disc disease[5]
  • Spondylolysis [5]
  • Spondylolisthesis [5]
  • Thickened spinal ligaments [4]
  • Pinched nerves (radiculopathy) [5]
  • Post-surgical back pain
  • Chronic lower back pain

Benefits of Spinal Injections for Lower Back Pain

Lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESIs) offer benefits for managing chronic back pain, such as reducing the need for surgery or strong oral pain medications.[3] As inflammation subsides, physical therapy becomes more effective, helping you return to daily activities and improve your quality of life.[3] LESI outpatient procedures are quick, require minimal downtime, and provide targeted, long-lasting pain relief for better day-to-day function.

Lumbar ESI Specialists & Pain Management Clinics

Choosing a pain management clinic for LESIs ensures you receive a customized treatment plan for managing your chronic lower back pain. Your steroid injections are administered by board-certified pain management doctors who use advanced imaging techniques to ensure your injection is delivered safely and precisely.

Whether your persistent discomfort is due to herniated discs, sciatica or a complex spinal condition, your pain management practitioner can help you find the best path to pain relief. A comprehensive pain management plan combines spinal injections with complementary treatments and alternative therapies to maximize your pain relief outcome.

If you’re ready to find lasting relief for your lower back, hip and leg pain, lumbar epidural steroid injections may be the solution you’ve been seeking. Consult with a pain management specialist today to learn more about LESIs and how they can help ease your pain.

Resources:

  1. Ge L, Pereira MJ, Yap CW, Heng BH. Chronic low back pain and its impact on physical function, mental health, and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study in Singapore. Scientific Reports [Internet]. 2022;12(1). Accessed October 16, 2024. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24703-7 Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24703-7
  2. Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections: What It Is, Benefits, Risks & Side Effects. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Accessed October 16, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22091-lumbar-epidural-steroid-injection
  3. Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI): What It Is, Benefits, Risks & Results. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Accessed October 16, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22301-epidural-steroid-injection-esi
  4. Epidural Corticosteroid Injections. Johns Hopkins Medicine [Internet]. Accessed October 16, 2024. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/epidural-corticosteroid-injections
  5. Patel K, Chopra P, Upadhyayula S. Epidural Steroid Injections. StatPearls [Internet]. Published 2021. Accessed October 16, 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470189/
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