Experiencing persistent pain in your neck radiating to your shoulders and arms? This discomfort can hamper your routine life, making it difficult to perform even simple tasks.
The epidural steroid injection is a beacon of hope in the realm of pain management. This innovative procedure directly targets the source of inflammation by delivering a powerful anti-inflammatory corticosteroid directly into the epidural space — the critical cushioning area surrounding your spinal nerves.
In this article, we delve deeper into cervical steroid injection and details such as:
- How this procedure works
- What you can expect
- The conditions it helps address
Embrace the possibilities of effective pain relief and take control of your health.
Why Are Injections Recommended for Pain Management?
When topical ointments and tablets do not offer any relief, cervical steroid injections serve as a better, non-surgical alternative, particularly for chronic neck and arm pain caused by compression of the nerve root.
So, why do doctors prescribe these injections?
Let’s first understand the anatomy of the spine. The nerve roots and spinal cord are located within a part of the spine called the epidural space. This space is a fat-filled sleeve that provides essential cushioning for the nerves.
It is within this epidural space that irritation occurs when a nerve contacts a damaged disc or other spinal structures.
The answer lies in this treatment’s ability to target spinal nerve inflammation caused by:
- Cervical Herniated Discs — Occur when the inner gel-like substance pushes through a small crack, compressing or irritating the delicate nerve roots.
- Bone Spurs or Bony Growths — Occur on the edge of bones.
- Degenerative Disc Disease — The spinal discs lose height and hydration, leading to nerve compression.
- Spinal Stenosis — The narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to nerve compression.
- Arthritis — A condition that causes inflammation of the facet joints in the spine, which further narrows the room for the nerves.
These conditions can compress or irritate the delicate nerve roots that exit your spine, leading to inflammation, which is the direct cause of the various symptoms, such as:
- Chronic pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Muscle weakness radiating from your neck into your shoulders, arms, or hands
These symptomatic patterns are called cervical radiculopathy, a condition that affects many individuals every year.
The prime objective of administering a cervical steroid injection is to deliver potent anti-inflammatory medication directly into the affected area of the spine, allowing the steroid to coat the irritated nerves, reduce swelling, and relieve the pressure causing your pain.
But the function of these injections doesn’t end here. The medication also minimised the nerve inflammation, leading to:
- Long-term pain relief
- Improvement in symptoms
- Enhanced functioning and range of motion
To understand how this is achieved, it helps to walk through the procedure itself.
Also Read: Exploring the Different Types of Spinal Injections for Pain Relief
What to Expect After a Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection?
After a cervical epidural steroid injection, you may experience temporary numbness or discomfort at the injection site, followed by a temporary increase in pain for 1–3 days before pain relief begins to work within 2–5 days. Common, temporary side effects include a “steroid flush” and potential sleep problems or anxiety. You should arrange for a ride home and avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day, resuming activity levels gradually as you feel better.
Your doctor may suggest a local anaesthetic to make the process painless and to help you relax during the procedure. Hence, you may feel a slight discomfort when you receive the anaesthetic. However, you should alert your doctor if the pain is too sharp and beyond normal intensity.
When the procedure commences, you will be positioned to lie on your stomach with your face down to expose the back of your neck — the injection site. This area is thoroughly cleaned, sterilised, and prepped for the cervical epidural injection.
Next, the local anaesthetic is injected to numb the skin and tissue at the site, which prevents you from feeling severe pain when the steroid injection is given. Next, a pain management physician or physiatrist uses X-ray-guided fluoroscopy imaging to insert a small needle into the epidural space.
A contrast dye is injected to ensure that the medication reaches the intended epidural space surrounding the compressed nerve. Once the placement is confirmed, the doctor injects the corticosteroid medication, a potent anti-inflammatory medication, to minimise the inflammation and pain.
You can expect only mild discomfort when the corticosteroid is administered. Remember, these epidural injections are handled only by trained pain management physiatrists and specialists. Hence, the procedure is done with medical precision and hygiene.
With the anti-inflammatory delivered precisely, the focus then shifts to the pain relief you can expect and your recovery process.
Post-Epidural Steroid Injection Procedure: What to Expect?
You may experience:
- Mild soreness and tenderness at the injection site, which is completely expected. The pain will fade within a few hours.
- Temporary heaviness or numbness in your neck, shoulder, arm, or hand afterwards.
Sometimes, the post-procedure pain may worsen for the first few days. Although this pain may catch you unawares, it is a normal discomfort that is part of the normal process, so try not to get discouraged if this happens to you. As per your doctor’s advice, avoid strenuous activities and give your body time to recover and rejuvenate. The steroid starts working within two to seven days post-procedure.
Managing Expectations for Pain Relief and Recovery
The recovery journey after your cervical steroid injection varies from person to person. However, the most common question that most individuals ask is: “How long does the pain relief from a cervical epidural steroid injection last?”
The pain relief entirely depends on factors such as:
- Your activity levels
- Your body’s chemistry
- Severity of the inflammation
- Root cause of the pain
Based on these aspects, the pain relief duration may last anywhere from several days to a few months, and sometimes even longer.
Take, for instance, these two examples:
1. When patients with a new disc herniation respond favourably, the injection can sometimes provide long-lasting pain relief.
2. For those with chronic pain or recurrent disc herniations, the desired duration of effect is typically three to six months or more.
Irrespective of this duration, the primary purpose of administering a cervical steroid injection is to enable the person to achieve long-term recovery and pain relief. Patients engaging in the following can achieve more positive results alongside the injections:
- Physical therapy
- Exercise programmes
- Activity modification
- Posture corrections
The medication minimises the inflammation, enabling the irritated nerves to recover from the compression, which eventually leads to pain relief.
Even so, it is worth mentioning that cervical steroid injections are not guaranteed to work for everyone and may only provide temporary relief. Suppose the first injection does not provide adequate relief. In that case, the doctor may recommend several injections — up to three — as long as the injections are spaced apart about two weeks (if necessary).
The majority of people can return to regular activity the day after the injections; however, it is recommended to refrain from very physically demanding activities for a few days post-injection. Ice applied to the injection site can ease pain and lessen swelling.
The advantages of cervical epidural steroid injection doses include:
- Temporary pain relief.
- Involvement in physical therapy exercises is designed to address the cause of your neck pain.
- Improved quality of life with less pain to stop you from engaging in daily functions.
- Avoiding potentially invasive treatment like surgery.
These potential benefits assist you when discussing this treatment with your specialist, since you will have reasonable information to make a decision on whether this is a treatment for you.
Make Informed Decisions About Your Pain Management
A cervical steroid injection is a safe, minimally invasive way to reduce inflammation around spinal nerves and achieve significant pain relief. Armed with this knowledge, you can now have a more productive conversation with your doctor about your options.
Schedule a visit with a specialist to determine if this approach is right for your specific condition. Consult a qualified spine specialist to explore the most suitable path for you.
Contact our specialists — Get expert care for your spine today at Spine 360, Bangalore!
