Epidural Injections services offered in St. George, UT
Epidural injections are a safe option for neck or back pain treatment that often offers rapid relief. At Alturas Pain and Spine Specialists in St. George, UT, Stacie Oliver, MD, provides epidural injections as a minimally invasive treatment option for back pain from spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and other common conditions affecting the spine. To schedule an evaluation and treatment consultation, call the office, or book an appointment online today.
What are epidural injections?
Epidural injections are a treatment for neck or back pain as well as any referred pain coming from a compressed nerve near the spine. The injections go into the epidural space, which surrounds your spine and the nerve roots coming from it.
At Alturas Pain and Spine Specialists, Dr. Oliver specializes in epidural injections containing two beneficial medications that serve to reduce your discomfort:
Local anesthesia
Local anesthesia in an epidural injection provides some immediate short-term relief. This “turns off” the active nerves in the targeted region so they stop transmitting pain signals while the anesthesia is active.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids lower inflammation. With less inflammation surrounding them, nerves present in the region are less likely to be irritated.
Who can benefit from epidural injections?
Epidural injections are an excellent minimally invasive treatment option for numerous conditions of the back and neck that cause persistent or recurrent pain. Dr. Oliver evaluates you if you don’t yet have a diagnosis and can locate the source of your pain. She may recommend epidural spinal injections as part of a treatment plan for:
- Spinal stenosis
- Foraminal stenosis
- Herniated discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
You can get an epidural steroid injection in the neck, low back, or midback. However, pain that benefits from epidural spinal injections usually originates in either the cervical spine (neck) or lumbar spine (low back).
What are the results of epidural injections?
Epidural injections vary in their results depending on a number of factors. You can expect to experience the effects of the local anesthesia around 20-30 minutes after its injection. Even though the benefit of the local anesthesia sets in quickly, it isn’t the component that brings long-term relief. It takes longer for the steroid to take effect.
The corticosteroid reduces inflammation within two to seven days of your treatment. The relief can last for as little as a few days or up to a year or longer. Research shows that patients who undergo other treatments simultaneously, like physical therapy, experience the most benefit from epidural injections.
To find out more about epidural injections and the conditions they treat, call Alturas Pain and Spine Specialists, or book an appointment online today.
