Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections in Flowood, MS

Lumbar epidural injections are shots into the epidural space in your back, surrounding the spinal cord. The shot may relieve pain, tingling, or numbness in the back, buttocks, or leg. Nerves may be numbed and pain reduced by steroid injections, which contain local anesthetics.

An imaging test may be performed before or during the injection. Imaging tests such as MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays can be done. Tests like these can reveal the location of your nerve problems.

You may be administered a numbing medicine before the steroid injection after your doctor finds the right spot. After that, he or she applies the steroid by injecting the needle into the numbed area. It is possible that you will feel some pressure. During the injection, you may feel some stinging or burning.

This injection takes between 10 and 15 minutes to administer. After you receive it, you will probably go home in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Epidural steroid injections are used to treat lumbar radicular pain, which results from inflammation and irritation of spinal nerve roots in your low back. Sciatica is a term used to describe lumbar radicular pain. The spinal nerve roots in your low back can be irritated by a variety of conditions, resulting in lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica).

Injections of epidural steroids are one of the most common ways to manage radicular pain. It is estimated that approximately 9% to 25% of Americans experience low back pain with leg pain that travels down below their knee (radicular pain) each year in the United States.

Injections of lumbar epidural steroids need to be performed by healthcare providers with specialized training. A radiologist, neurologist, physiatrist, surgeon, or anesthesiologist may perform lumbar ESIs.

An epidural steroid injection in the lumbar region will most likely be administered in a hospital or outpatient clinic. The average lumbar ESI takes between 15 and 30 minutes. When performing this procedure, you must remain very still. Different methods can be used by your healthcare provider to access the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord.

On a comfortable table with a pillow under your abdomen, you will change into a medical gown and lie on your belly. It is possible that your healthcare provider will prescribe you medicine to help you relax, such as a sedative. To minimize the risk of infection, your provider will thoroughly clean the low back area where the epidural will be inserted. An epidural needle will be guided precisely to the right position using fluoroscopy (X-ray, or radiology imaging). During your epidural procedure, your provider may inject local anesthesia with a small needle. Epidural needles are larger than normal needles, so you won’t feel as much discomfort when they are inserted.

Your provider will inject contrast material into the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord after placing the epidural needle. As a result of the contrast material, the needle tip stays in the epidural space and not in a blood vessel or other tissue. Inflamed nerves are targeted with this method and the medication is ensured to reach them.

After that, your provider will slowly inject the medication, typically a steroid or corticosteroid, which is anti-inflammatory. Providers may mix a corticosteroid with normal saline and a local anesthetic to administer injections.

Your provider will apply pressure to the injection site after the injection to prevent bleeding, clean the area again, and apply dressing. For a few minutes to an hour, you’ll rest in a chair or bed. Before you go home, your provider wants to ensure you won’t have any reaction to the medication.

Lumbar epidural steroid injections are available at Jackson Pain Center. We are conveniently located at 1 Layfair Drive, Suite 400 Flowood, MS 39232. Contact us for more information. We serve patients from Flowood MS, Richland MS, Ridgeland MS, Langford MS, Brandon MS, Jackson MS, Pearl MS, and surrounding areas.