You might’ve heard an epidural is an injection administered to a pregnant person before giving birth. Many people might think this is the only reason the injection is given. But epidural injections can be used in several different ways. One of which is to relieve acute or long-term pain.
At The Spine and Pain Center of California, Dr. Navin Mahallavaram and the rest of our staff want to provide you with the best, most appropriate treatment for your specific needs. This is why we offer epidural steroid injections as one of the possible treatment options you can receive at our office. But how will you know if it’s right for you?
Epidural injections 101
Since, as previously discussed, many people don’t know epidurals can be used to treat acute and chronic pain, we must clarify what exactly this procedure entails. First off, epidural steroid shots (or ESIs) are different from epidurals that only have anesthesia.
Sometimes, Dr. Mahallavaram uses the anesthesia-only version to look for the source of chronic pain. But the ESI in specific also contains an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid. This helps both numb and remove pain by minimizing inflammation and soothing the nerves in the area of the discomfort.
The area where the pain is located will often require the epidural to be given in a different area of the spine. People with neck pain get a cervical epidural, lower back pain get a lumbar epidural, and so on.
According to the University of Michigan, patients may expect steroid injections to create relief for about three to six months. In some cases, this could potentially be the amount of time needed for your condition to heal successfully. If not, it can be an excellent treatment to provide several months of pain relief so that you may continue with other healing procedures.
Why you should seek epidural injections
Epidural injections can be a fantastic option for certain people in certain situations, but of course, not every treatment is effective at all times. It’s crucial to consider the specifics below and ask yourself if epidural injections might be right for you.
Acute, chronic or bulging disc pain
Certain conditions respond well to this treatment. Bulging discs can sometimes be successfully treated with an epidural injection, for example. Sciatica, spinal stenosis, and cervical radiculopathy all often respond very well to epidural injections.
Chronic pain conditions aren’t usually cured with epidurals. Still, the treatment can help relieve pain for several months, which can benefit long-term healing.
Trying other treatments
In many cases, patients are asked to try many other treatments, especially for chronic pain, before moving on to epidural injections. These treatments might include
- Physical therapy
- Medication
- Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking
Still, these treatments don’t always work, or you may need something more to begin to heal. This is often when epidural injections come into play.
Supplemental treatment
As previously stated, epidural injections can sometimes get to the root of the problem, especially in common or acute issues. But in other cases, an epidural injection might be used in addition to other treatments.
For example, you might need an epidural injection to help you gain range of motion back. This could allow you to begin or return to physical therapy when, perhaps previously, you were unable to do so. An epidural injection might also be part of surgical preparation.
Epidural injections may be right for you
Dr. Mallavaram specializes in injection therapy to treat chronic pain. Depending on your situation, he may feel that it is right for you to consider epidural injections for your condition.
If you want to learn more, please call us at either our Pleasanton or Fremont, CA office. You can also book an appointment online at your convenience.
