During a cervical epidural steroid injection, our pain management expert injects steroids into your neck in order to reduce inflammation that may be irritating nerves and causing pain in your neck, shoulders, and arms.
Cervical epidural steroid injections can treat pain caused by degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and other conditions. Many of our patients manage to stay pain-free for long periods of time by scheduling these injections throughout the year.
At The Spine Care Center, our pain management experts perform thousands of epidural steroid injections each year to relieve neck and back pain. Thanks to their accurate diagnoses and years of experience, the majority of our patients are able to avoid surgery and live their lives without pain.
Cervical epidural steroid injections do not require much in terms of preparation. Your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink for a time before your injection if you are receiving sedation, though many cervical injections are performed without sedation. Your doctor may also ask you to stop taking certain medications before your procedure, depending on your regimen. You should always disclose medications, herbs, and supplements you take to your doctor.
We also require that you find a designated driver to take you home after the procedure.
We perform epidural steroid injections in our cutting-edge procedure suite. Because our pain management experts are also board-certified anesthesiologists, they can provide you with a sedative before your procedure. Your doctor will also inject a local anesthetic to numb the injection area.
After the injection site has been numbed, your doctor will inject a special contrast dye into your spine that allows them to see exactly where the needle should be placed. During an epidural injection, the needle is carefully inserted into the fluid-filled area around the nerves in your spine. The medicine is then slowly injected.
After the injection is complete, the injection site will be bandaged you will be slowly brought out of sedation. The entire procedure lasts only a few minutes.
If you were sedated for your procedure, you will need to stay at our office as the sedation wears off. You will be monitored by our staff and cleared for discharge approximately 30 minutes after the injection. When you’re ready to be discharged, your family member or friend can then drive you home. You should rest and apply ice to your injection site if it feels tender.
You will be able to return to your normal routine the next day. You may feel pain relief as soon as the next day, though it may take two or three days to feel the full effects. Some patients experience side effects such as anxiety and insomnia. Speak with your physician during your consultation if you are concerned about side effects.
Our pain management experts are here to help you with your neck pain. Call our office or request an appointment online to learn more about cervical epidural steroid injections.