When to Consider an Epidural for Your Chronic Back Pain

About 16 million American adults have chronic back pain. Most of these patients improve with conservative care, including rest, activity changes, and over-the-counter (OTC) medication, but for some, the pain persists, affecting mobility and quality of life. 

When that happens, minimally invasive treatments, like epidural steroid injections, are often the best way to avoid surgery.

At Hudson Specialty Care, with offices in Cliffside Park, Elizabeth, and Edison, New Jersey, and in Manhattan in New York City, our team of interventional pain management specialists regularly uses epidural injections to help manage chronic back pain.

Read on to learn how epidural steroid injections work, how to tell if you may benefit, and what to expect from the procedure.

What’s an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural steroid injection is a quick, outpatient procedure that involves injecting a local anesthetic and corticosteroid into the epidural space around your spine. 

The medication reduces inflammation in and around irritated spinal nerves, relieving pain caused by herniated discs, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis.

Epidurals can provide quick relief. Patients often report less pain and increased mobility within a short time of an injection. Although the results aren’t permanent, follow-up injections usually aren’t needed for 3-4 months, and epidurals can help some patients avoid surgery.

Signs you may be a good candidate for an epidural

You may benefit from an epidural steroid injection if you suffer from chronic back pain and:

• Conservative treatments don’t help, e.g., physical therapy and OTC pain medicine
• It radiates into your buttocks or legs
• It interferes with sleep, work, or other daily activities
• You want to avoid or delay surgery

You might also benefit from an epidural if you want to participate in physical therapy, but can’t due to your symptoms. Because epidurals often provide short-term pain relief, many patients can make progress with other treatments better than they would without an injection.

Who isn’t a good candidate for an epidural steroid injection?

Epidural injections for chronic back pain are safe and usually well-tolerated, but not everyone is a candidate. We may recommend an alternative if you have an active infection, a history of bleeding disorders, or certain medical conditions that increase your risk of side effects. 

Similarly, epidurals are best at managing pain caused by nerve-related issues. If your pain isn’t due to nerve inflammation, damage, or compression, another approach may make more sense.

What does getting an epidural involve?

Getting an epidural typically takes 20 minutes or less. 

On the day of your appointment, you change into a gown and lie face down on an operating table. Your provider then administers a local anesthetic and uses imaging guidance to insert the needle into the epidural space surrounding your spine.

Once they position the needle, they administer the mixture of corticosteroids and pain medication into the space.

After the injection, your provider removes the needle, applies a bandage, and provides care instructions. An epidural can make you drowsy, so arrange to have someone drive you home. Most people return to work and other activities within 24 hours.

Request an epidural consultation today

Chronic back pain can limit your mobility and prevent you from doing the things you love. If you’re tired of waiting on the sidelines, consider an epidural injection. 

To see if you’re a candidate, schedule an appointment at the Hudson Specialty Care office nearest you by phone or online today.