Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
An epidural steroid injection places anti-inflammatory medicine into the epidural space to decrease inflammation of the nerve roots, hopefully reducing the pain in the back or legs. The epidural injection may help the injury to heal by reducing inflammation. It may provide permanent relief or provide a period of pain relief for several months while the injury/cause of pain is healing.
Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Procedure:
The patient is positioned on their stomach so the spine can be viewed under x-ray. The skin on the back is scrubbed using antibacterial soap. Next, the physician numbs a small area of skin with numbing medicine. This medicine stings for several seconds. After the numbing medicine has been given time to be effective, the physician directs a needle into the epidural space. A mixture of numbing medicine (local anesthetic) and anti-inflammatory (steroid) is injected.
What happens after the procedure?
There are no restrictions to food or liquid intake or to activity level unless specified by the physician. A follow-up appointment will be made for a repeat block, if indicated. These injections are usually done in a series of three, about one month apart. The back or legs may rarely feel weak or numb for a few hours. Patients may return to their normal activities on the day of the procedure. Driving is discouraged on the day of the procedure.