Epidurals and Spinal Injections

Question: I have a bulge at L4/5 in spine and have been offered a spinal injection to help with the pain. I also have stenosis in multiple places on my spine. The injection would be done at a major teaching hospital so I know I would be in safe hands.

Are these injections painful? Is it worth getting done? Is it risky?

Dr. Bruno’s Response: Spinal injections - epidural and facet joint injections - can be very helpful in treating stenosis (pinched nerves of pressure on the spinal cord). There are always risks. But they can be reduced by finding a doctor who is an expert at spinal injections.

     Lumbar epidurals can cause "pressure pain" as a steroid and local anesthetic are injected in a very small space (the spinal cord is the diameter of a pencil, epidural space even smaller) and can trigger fainting. I would discuss a brief anesthetic (like low dose propofol) for lumbar epidurals.

Read more by searching the topic of Anesthesia in the Index of the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS.

Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD 

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