Injection Therapy
Spinal injections are a conservative, minimally invasive procedure used to treat chronic back pain. Injection therapy can be an effective treatment option for back pain.
Also serving a diagnostic purpose, spinal injections can help determine what is causing the pain. If temporary relief results from injecting numbing medicine into a specific area, that area is likely the source of the problem. This information can help guide further treatment when considered alongside a patient’s medical history, physical exam and imaging studies.
When used therapeutically, spinal injections can be more effective than oral medicine in providing relief directly to the region that is causing the pain. Typically, a steroid medication is injected to deliver a powerful anti-inflammatory solution directly to the area that is the source of pain. Depending on the type of injection, some forms of back pain relief may be long lasting and some may be more temporary.
SpineAustin’s physiatrists administer spinal injections under fluoroscopic guidance. A fluoroscope uses X-rays to show a TV image on a screen that the physician watches to ensure the needle is in the proper place.
The most common spinal injections are:
- Epidural Steroid Injections – Performed for back and neck pain caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or radiculopathy.
- Facet Joint Injections – Performed for pain resulting from arthritis of the facet joints or painful dysfunction of the joints.
- Medial Branch Blocks – Performed to temporarily block the transmission of pain signals from facet joints to the brain.
Spinal injections typically use a medication that is a combination of a local anesthetic and an anti-inflammatory steroid such as cortisone. The anesthetic temporarily numbs the pain, and the steroid reduces inflammation and produces a longer lasting nerve block.
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