Our legs and back are responsible for carrying us through whatever the day brings, from playing outside with your grandkids to running errands around Charleston. But what do we do when our favorite – and not-so-favorite – activities become a painful chore?
Lumbar epidural steroid injections, or ESIs, are an interventional pain management technique aimed at providing pain relief to your problem areas so you can reclaim your quality of life and rediscover the activities you love most.
Keep reading to learn more about ESIs, and how our pain management clinic near you can help you find pain relief!
What is an ESI?
An epidural steroid injection is an interventional pain management option for people suffering from low back, leg, arm, and neck pain.
The injection involves a minimally invasive procedure in which a steroid, combined with a numbing agent, is administered into the epidural space of the spine. The epidural space is where the bones and discs of the spine surround the nerves and spinal cord.
Depending on the patient’s area of pain, the injection is positioned at a specific level of the spine and side of the body to target the affected nerve roots directly.
When an ESI is administered, patients may experience the following benefits:
-
Decreased inflammation and pain
-
Limit or possibly eliminate the need for medication
-
Eliminate the need for surgery
Often, the relief an ESI provides allows patients to work on improving their condition through resources such as physical therapy that may have been too painful.
Who Qualifies for an ESI?
Epidural steroid injections can be a welcome form of relief for people who suffer from painful inflammatory conditions.
Some of the most common lower back and leg conditions treated with an ESI may include:
-
Sciatica
-
Degenerative disk disease
-
Herniated disc
-
Spinal stenosis
The injection can cause a spike in blood sugar levels for those with diabetes, and individuals taking blood thinners will be asked to stop taking them a few days before the procedure.
Schedule an appointment with a physician for pain management in Charleston, SC, to discuss your specific needs and medical history of pain management. Our staff will work with you to determine the best course of action and whether an ESI is right for you.
What to Expect After a Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
After an initial appointment with our pain management physicians concludes an ESI is the right treatment approach for you, it’s time to schedule your injection.
The ESI is an outpatient procedure that takes 15 to 45 minutes. You will be awake during the procedure to give feedback to your physician, but mild sedation and local anesthetic may be provided.
If any sedation is used, be sure to bring a friend or family member to act as your personal chauffeur on the day of the procedure.
Regular activity may be resumed the next day, but individuals should expect a little soreness and swelling around the injection site. A follow-up appointment will need to be scheduled to discuss the effectiveness of the injection with your doctor and any other concerns you may have.
Most individuals begin to feel relief after only a few days, which may last from a few weeks to several years after the procedure.
How Long Does an Epidural Steroid Injection Last?
Each situation will differ between individuals based on the root cause of their pain and underlying conditions.
In the case of a recent disc herniation, injections may be administered weeks apart to resolve symptoms quickly. Chronic back or leg pain, on the other hand, may require injections spaced anywhere from three to six months apart.
Find Relief with Help from the Pain Specialists of Charleston
Seeking pain management near you can be a difficult task to undergo and one that can add undue stress to an already stressful – and painful – situation.
At Pain Specialists of Charleston, our mission is to help you find the root cause of your chronic pain and get back on the road to a life free from pain.
From interventional pain treatments to the latest medical research, our Board-Certified Physicians specialize in helping our patients say goodbye to pain without surgery or habit-forming drugs.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment and get back to living a pain-free life!