Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural Steroid injections are typically used to alleviate chronic low back pain and/or leg pain often stemming from lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis, and lumbar spinal stenosis.  While the effects of the injection tend to be temporary-providing relief from pain for an average of 6 months-an epidural can be very beneficial for patients during an episode of severe back pain.  An important aspect is that it can provide sufficient pain relief to allow the patient to progress with their rehabilitation program.  MIIGS doctors use fluoroscopy to help guide the needle into the epidural space, and the medicine is injected directly into the epidural space.  Controlled studies have found that medication is misplaced in 13% to 34% of all epidural injections that are performed without fluoroscopy. 

An epidural spinal injection (ESI) may be performed when one or more nerve roots are effected or if the pain is on both sides of the back or leg.  With an ESI the steroid is injected directly into the epidural space. The epidural space is the area that surrounds the spinal cord and the nerves coming out it.  A small needle is guided into the epidural space under fluoroscopy guidance.  This guidance greatly increases the success of the procedure over traditional non imaging guided techniques.  The injections are usually performed in sets of three, with each injection occurring one week apart.