3 Types of Epidural Steroid Injections

Getting an epidural steroid injection can help you manage chronic back pain, sciatica, or spinal stenosis. After evaluating your medical history, your spine doctor helps you decide if this type of treatment is right for you. Here are three different types of epidural steroid injections:

1. Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection

A doctor may recommend a caudal epidural steroid injection for severe pain in your lower back and legs. Caudal refers to the sacral region of your spine, which is located just above your tailbone. In this type of injection, the needle enters beneath the sacral hiatus and travels into the epidural space. This enables the medication to reach numerous nerve roots in your lower back and helps relieve pain.

Your spine doctor may make use of a caudal epidural steroid injection to manage compression fractures in your lower back. This type of injection can relieve the pressure on your nerves if you develop severe spinal stenosis. A caudal epidural steroid injection also provides you with relief from swelling in your lower back region.

2. Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection

When you have severe sciatica or leg pain, your doctor may give you a transforaminal epidural steroid injection. This type of injection is one in which the needle enters via the intervertebral foramen to the epidural space on one side of your spine. This is useful for targeting a single nerve root responsible for causing inflammation. You can also choose a selective nerve root block procedure, which is similar to the injection of transforaminal epidural steroid.

A transforaminal epidural steroid injection is used to relieve chronic back pain, especially for conditions such as herniated discs. Medical professionals use the injection to help you manage pain in your neck, lower back, or upper back. The medication used for the injection procedure includes a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic to assist in providing relief from pain. This type of epidural steroid injection is an option for those people who have not responded well to oral medications.

3. Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injection

You can also get an interlaminar epidural steroid injection if you need a spinal fusion for managing chronic back pain. To perform this type of injection, your doctor inserts a needle between the lamina, which is the bony structure of your spine. You can choose this type of epidural steroid injection to manage pain caused by spinal stenosis or disc herniation. The injection could be in your lumbar, thoracic, or cervical spine.

Neck, arm, or leg pain are typical conditions that this kind of epidural steroid injection manages. Medication used along with this injection consists of a corticosteroid, such as triamcinolone acetonide. These steroids act against the particular region’s inflammation and swelling, helping to make the pain tolerable.

Visit a Spine Doctor

Epidural steroid injections are often an effective way to manage various conditions that may cause chronic back pain. They can produce long-term relief and greatly improve your quality of life by enabling you to be more active with less discomfort. Talk with your doctor about how to cope with your chronic back pain as you receive the course of epidural steroid injections. Contact a spinal physician today to find relief for your back discomfort.