When Is an Epidural Steroid Injection the Best Option for Chronic Back or Neck Pain?

Two of the most common sources of chronic pain are the back and the neck. Without effective pain management, you may miss work and other activities you enjoy due to back pain or neck pain.

If you’re looking for a nonaddictive, nonsurgical solution for chronic back or neck pain, epidural steroid injections could be right for you. 

Learn from our Integrity Pain & Wellness team of doctors and providers when epidural steroid injections might be your best pain management solution.

What is an epidural injection?

An epidural injection is a type of pain relief injection. We deliver the injection in the epidural space by your spinal nerves in the upper or lower spinal cord, depending on the location of your pain.

Epidural injections can deliver anesthesia or steroids to provide pain relief. You may be familiar with epidurals, as they are commonly used to ease pain during labor when women give birth or during surgery to numb parts of the body.

For chronic back or neck pain, epidural injections contain steroids that offer pain relief without numbing you. Epidural steroid injections relieve inflammation, swelling, and irritation in your back or neck.

The injections work by coating the nerves around the spinal cord with steroids. This takes pressure off of the nerves, offering pain relief for weeks to months.

When to get an epidural steroid injection

There are several situations when our team recommends neck or back epidural steroid injections. Some of these include:

Radiating back and neck pain

Conditions like pinched nerves, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and slipped or degenerative discs cause radiating nerve pain that starts in the neck or back and moves to other areas of the body. 

Epidural steroid injections calm the nerves by sending radiating nerve signals, causing pain relief in every area.

Nerve-related localized back and neck pain

Some types of localized pain in your back and neck are the result of nerve problems that respond well to epidural steroid injections. Examples of this type of localized pain include back and neck arthritis and sacroiliac joint injuries.

Pain that hasn’t responded to less invasive treatments

Before recommending epidural steroid injections, we usually try conservative measures like nonaddictive pain medication and physical therapy. When chronic pain doesn’t respond to those, we may recommend epidural steroid injections as an alternative to surgery.

When you need pain relief for rehabilitation

Sometimes, you need additional pain relief when you’re starting physical therapy or a similar rehabilitation program after an injury or other long-term chronic pain. Epidural steroid injections can help you feel improved enough to begin one of these programs.

Getting an epidural steroid injection

Epidural steroid injections are outpatient procedures. You lie on your stomach while we clean and numb the area where you’ll be receiving steroids.

Then we insert a dye that will help us pinpoint the perfect place for pain relief. We use a fluoroscope and needle to make a precise injection.

After you’re numb, the procedure takes less than five minutes. You can go home and back to your usual routine right away and experience months of pain relief.

Epidural steroid injections could be the solution for you if you have chronic back or neck pain. Contact us to schedule an appointment at one of our locations in Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, or Prescott, Arizona.