Did you know that approximately 8% of adults in the US experience back pain?1 There are multiple treatments available for back pain including spinal injections. Spinal injections are made up of steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and local anesthetic. There are three main types of spinal injections: epidural, facet joint, and sacroiliac joint injections. Epidural injections are typically used to treat back pain that radiates to an arm or leg. Facet joint injections are predominantly used to treat neck and back pain often due to a degenerative or arthritic condition. Sacroiliac joint injections are usually used to treat pain in the lower back, buttocks, and leg.
Spinal injections have been used for decades as a nonsurgical pain management alternative. Here are some of the many benefits that injections offer:
- Conservative Treatment
It’s always good to avoid surgery whenever possible. Spinal treatment is a conservative and effective method of pain relief. It requires no surgical procedure meaning that you don’t have to worry about hospital stays, recovery time, or scarring.
- Reduces Inflammation
Because the injection is localized at the site of pain, anti-inflammatory steroids such as cortisone are applied directly to the swollen nerve area. This decrease in inflammation can help the spine to heal if the pain is caused by a herniated disc.
- Significantly Decreases Pain
In addition to reducing inflammation, these injections have been found to significantly reduce pain. This is due to the local anesthetic that acts on inflamed or pinched nerves to soothe your pain.
- Improves Mobility
Due to decreased pain and inflammation, your mobility and ability to do everyday activities after an injection will improve significantly. Because of this newfound mobility, you can also more easily engage in physical therapy to help you along your healing process.
- Confirms the Origin of Pain
Injections can also be used to diagnose the origin of the pain via isolated administration to specific nerves. If the pain is alleviated with the isolated injection, then the source of pain is determined. If the pain persists, it is likely another nerve area is the cause of it.
Spinal injections are proven to reduce nerve inflammation and in turn pain. If you think that you may be a candidate for spinal injections, contact NewportCare Spine Center for a consultation today!
The NewportCare Spine Center provides specialized care for patients with spine, hip, and knee problems in the Long Beach and Riverside areas of California, offering diagnosis and treatment of all orthopaedic conditions at a single location. For all appointments and inquiries, please call (949) 491-9991 or click here to request an appointment online.
https://hpi.georgetown.edu/backpain/
