Treating Back and Neck Pain with Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections, or commonly referred to as nerve blocks, are one of the top procedures offered at National Spine & Pain Centers to treat pain and inflammation caused by a herniated disc, sciatica, or spinal stenosis. Patients suffering from acute or chronic back and neck pain will often times receive epidural steroid injections when physical therapy and medication are not giving them relief.

Here’s what you need to know if your pain doctor has recommended epidural nerve blocks:

• The injection is corticosteroid medication placed in the epidural space of the spinal column
• Local anesthetic is applied to numb the injection site prior to insertion of the spinal needle
• To ensure accuracy and safety, our physicians perform the procedure under x-ray guidance
• Medication is delivered into the epidural space where pain is occurring to shrink swelling around nerve roots
• The procedure is on an outpatient basis and typically takes 20 to 30 minutes including preparation time

Click here to learn more about epidural steroid injections!

In most cases, patients will feel a considerable amount of relief after the first injection. If high levels of pain return, up to three injections may be given within a six-month time frame. In conjunction with physical therapy, many individuals enjoy a life free of pain.

National Spine & Pain Center’s Dr. Varada Nargund specializes in back and neck pain cases. Below, she is featured in a video where she discusses the diagnostic process as well as her methods of relieving pain using epidural steroid injections. Click play below: