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Epidural Injections services offered in South Miami, FL
Epidural injections of local anesthetic and corticosteroid injections may provide back pain relief lasting for multiple months. Could you be a good candidate for epidural steroid injections? Contact triple-board-certified neurologist Awss Zidan, MD, at Miami Headache & Pain Clinic for back pain support and injection therapies. Schedule your appointment at our Miami, Florida, location online or call now to book.
What are epidural injections?
Epidural injections, also known as epidural steroid injections (ESIs), send anti-inflammatory medication directly into the spinal space. Dr. Zidan delivers your spinal injection for back pain into the epidural space, found just outside the fluid surrounding your spinal cord.
Your ESI contains both a local anesthetic medication and a corticosteroid for immediate and longer-term pain relief. As the medication takes effect, swelling and pressure around nerves decrease, reducing nerve compression. It may take 2-3 days for steroid medications to become fully effective. Pain relief results often last for multiple months.
What happens during an epidural injection?
You lie face-down on an X-ray table for your injection. Numbing medication helps to maintain patient comfort during injection treatment. You must hold very still during the injection.
After cleaning the injection area, Dr. Zidan positions the needle precisely over your lower back, using X-ray imaging guidance for enhanced accuracy. Most patients tolerate this procedure well, but some report a sensation of pressure during the injection.
The treatment is complete following a 15-20-minute observation period. Complications are rare. Some tenderness and swelling may occur around the injection site but should fade within a day or two.
Who needs an epidural injection?
An ESI may be right for you if you suffer from nerve pain that has not improved with conservative treatment options like medication management or physical therapy. ESIs work well for pain caused by pressure on spinal nerves and can help patients with degenerative disc disease or a herniated spinal disc.
An epidural injection can also help diagnose the exact location of spinal nerve-related issues. Successful pain relief shows the area of your spine where treatment needs to focus.
Steroid injections need to be limited to 2-3 treatments per year. This may not be a good treatment option for you if you are pregnant or need to continuously take blood-thinning medications. Back pain injections do not address underlying causes for back pain and are not a cure.
To learn more about how epidural injections could relieve back pain, contact Dr. Zidan at Miami Headache & Pain Clinic online or over the phone and book your appointment today.