What happens during treatment?Īt the time of the procedure, you will be asked to sign consent forms, list medications you are presently taking, and if you have any allergies to medication. Make arrangements to have someone drive you to and from the center the day of the injection. The procedure is usually performed in an outpatient center using x-ray fluoroscopy. Discuss any medications with your doctors, including the one who prescribed the medication and the doctor who will perform the injection. Patients who take take blood thinning medication (Coumadin, Plavix, etc.) may need to stop taking it several days before the ESI. Be prepared to ask any questions at this appointment. The doctor who will perform the procedure reviews your medical history and previous imaging studies to plan the best approach for the injections. Physicians who perform epidural steroid injections include physiatrists (PM&R), radiologists, anesthesiologists, neurologists, and surgeons. Fluoroscopy x- rays may be harmful to the baby. If you think you may be pregnant, tell the doctor. You should discuss this with your physician. It may also temporarily elevate blood pressure and eye pressure for patients with glaucoma. The injection may slightly elevate the blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. When symptoms interfere with rehabilitative exercises, epidurals can ease the pain enough so that patients can continue their physical therapy.ĮSI should NOT be performed on people who have an infection or have bleeding problems. ESI can also help determine whether surgery might be beneficial for pain associated with a herniated disc. ![]() It is usually caused by compression of the 5th lumbar or 1st sacral spinal nerve.ĮSI has proven helpful for some patients in the treatment of painful inflammatory conditions. Sciatica: Pain that courses along the sciatic nerve in the buttocks and down the legs.Degenerative disc: A breakdown or aging of the intervertebral disc causing collapse of the disc space, tears in the annulus, and growth of bone spurs.Irritation, pain, and swelling occur when this material squeezes out and comes in contact with a spinal nerve. ![]()
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