Epidural Injection

Epidural injections provide lasting relief from some types of chronic lower back pain. At All Valley Rehabilitation, Spine and Pain Institute, in Edinburg, Texas, board-certified physiatrist and pain management specialist Nashin Manohar, DO, uses epidural corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve lower back pain. Call All Valley Rehabilitation, Spine and Pain Institute to schedule an epidural injection consultation today, or book your appointment online.

What is an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural steroid injection is minimally invasive and treats chronic lower back pain.

Dr. Manohar uses ultrasound-guided imaging to inject a steroid or corticosteroid into the epidural space near the spinal nerves in your back. When the medication enters your body, it reduces irritation and inflammation caused by nerve compression, bone spurs, or other musculoskeletal problems.

Which musculoskeletal problems benefit from epidural injections?

All Valley Rehabilitation, Spine and Pain Institute uses epidural injections to treat several musculoskeletal problems that affect the lower back, including:

• Localized lower back pain (axial back pain)
• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Lumbar osteoarthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated intervertebral discs (slipped or ruptured discs)

You could be a candidate for an epidural steroid injection if you have neurogenic claudication –– a condition that compresses the nerves in your lower back.

How do I prepare for an epidural injection?

Let Dr. Manohar know if you’re pregnant or might be pregnant, as ultrasound-guided imaging often requires fluoroscopy (X-ray energy). Also, tell him which vitamins, supplements, and medications you take.

A few days before your injection, Dr. Manohar gives you a list of instructions. You might need to fast for several hours, only drinking water. If you take medications like blood thinners, Dr. Manohar might ask you to adjust the dosage or cut back altogether.

Make sure to have someone available to drive you home. It takes several hours for the anesthetic to wear off, so you won’t be able to drive.

What happens during an epidural injection procedure?

Epidural injections take 20-30 minutes. 

Depending on where your lower back pain is, Dr. Manohar could recommend:

Interlaminar epidural injection

With this method, Dr. Manohar guides a thin needle through your skin and between the laminae in your spine to access your epidural space. The laminae is a flat plate of bone that protects your spinal cord.

Transforaminal epidural injection

Dr. Manohar guides a thin needle through your skin into the foramina –– openings where nerve roots exit your spine. This injection is especially effective in relieving lower back pain caused by pinched nerves and herniated discs.

Caudal epidural injection

With this method, Dr. Manohar inserts a thin needle through your skin into the sacral hiatus –– an area just above your tailbone that houses the lower spinal nerves.

Call All Valley Rehabilitation, Spine and Pain Institute today to see if you can benefit from an epidural injection. You can also book your appointment online.