At NGPG, we understand that pain relief isn’t one-size-fits-all. Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Interventional Pain Medicine’s experienced team of pain specialists provide a variety of advanced and effective options for pain management. For pain that hasn’t resolved with traditional methods, we offer our patients across North Georgia epidural steroid injection treatment.
The goal of an epidural steroid injection is to reduce inflammation in the affected area. Relief from an epidural steroid injection can last from a few days to years.
Your NGPG pain medicine doctor will work in collaboration with your other specialists to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. An epidural steroid injection is often used in conjunction with physical therapy and other treatments.
What are epidural steroid injections?
Epidural steroid injections, which are injections that contain both a corticosteroid and an anesthetic numbing agent help reduce pain and inflammation in the body. Your doctor will inject the medication into the epidural space in the spine, from where the steroid then acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Who should get epidural steroid injections?
People who have pain in their neck, arms, lower back, or legs may be candidates for an epidural steroid injection. Especially people with the following conditions:
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
- Spinal Arthritis
Who performs epidural steroid injections?
Your NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine provider will perform your epidural steroid injection in a quick office procedure. Our team is specially trained to administer your injection and help you find pain relief and get back to day-to-day activities quickly.
What are the advantages of epidural steroid injections?
Steroid injections offer pain management in a variety of ways. Because epidural steroid injections are minimally invasive, most patients get to go home immediately following their procedure. Some of the major advantages of epidural steroid injections for pain management include:
- Quick and easy procedure
- Pain relief directly to affected areas
- Minimal or no side effects
- Proven effectiveness
- Relief can last up to several months
NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine usually administers epidural steroid injections in combination with other treatments such as oral anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy, highly increasing the likelihood of success.
What are the risks of epidural steroid injections?
While epidural steroid injections typically have high success rates, some patients may have a different experience. For some, the effects of relief from the injection may wear off more quickly than expected. In addition, epidural steroid injections are suggested to be spread apart over a few months, as it can be unsafe to receive them back-to-back.
What happens during my epidural steroid injection?
Your NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine provider will try to inject the steroid as close to the affected area as possible. On procedure day, you can expect the following steps:
- Anesthesia: In preparation for the procedure, you will receive local anesthetic to numb the area where your injection will occur.
- Insertion: Your doctor will have you lie on a table and will insert the needle into the epidural space between the bony vertebrae of your back. Most patients feel slight pressure when the injection is going into the body.
- Monitoring Period: Most patients are monitored for a short period after the procedure, but typically they can walk around and leave the clinic shortly after the procedure is finished.
- Post-Injection: You may have some soreness around the injection site, but you can generally return to your normal activities the day after the procedure.
If you only experience minor relief from your injection, your NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine doctor may perform more in the following months.
Choose NGPG for Epidural Steroid Injections
If you or a loved one are struggling to manage your pain with over-the-counter medications alone, ask your provider about epidural steroid injections. If you are ready to get back to life pain-free, you can rely on our team at NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine to provide you with advanced and effective pain management options for your issues.
Our team of pain experts are dedicated to providing the latest and greatest treatments for our patients across North Georgia. For pain caused by arthritis, slipped disc, spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, trust NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine to help you find relief with epidural steroid injections.