Chronic back pain can be highly debilitating. It can affect your daily activities such as work. You may have to spend every day just in order to manage your pain. Apart from this, you may find it difficult to undergo a treatment such as physical therapy.
What you need is to visit a pain management clinic that offers a wide variety of effective therapies. If conservative treatment options fail to make a relief, you should consider epidural shots for back pain.
What’s Epidural Injection?
An epidural injection is commonly used to treat lower back pain caused by compression of spinal nerves. Since it contains steroids, it reduces the inflammation and eliminates the pain in the targeted area. The shot is generally given to the epidural space.
One needs to understand that epidural injection is not meant to heal the problem causing you pain. It can only reduce nerve irritation and provide you short-term relief. Therefore, you should be responsive to other treatments if you’re looking to find a complete cure.
Which Conditions Can Warrant Relief from Epidural Shots?
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis causes the spinal and the nerve root canal to narrow down, causing pain. Since it compresses your nerve roots, it generally affects your lumber and cervical spine.
Herniated Disc
When an intervertebral disc bulges, it releases a gel-like material that starts pressing against a spinal nerve which is painful. This is referred to as herniated disc. Epidural shots can be extremely effective in treating this type of pain.
Sciatica
When the first sacral spinal nerve compresses, you experience a tingling and numbing pain traveling from the buttocks to your legs.
When Should You Consider Taking an Epidural Shot?
If you’re considering epidural shot for back pain, you may take it when:
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The ongoing pain is making it difficult to participate in a designed therapy.
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All other conservative treatments fail to make an impact or relief.
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You’re not trying to perform a back surgery.
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You’re experiencing pain that’s traveling from your arms, shoulder to legs.
Visit the Right Clinic
If chronic back pain is affecting the quality of your life, you must seek immediate medical help. You can consider contacting Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management in Oklahoma. Our board-certified pain physicians know how to find out the root cause of your pain and provide you with suitable treatment options, including epidural injection. Schedule your appointment today.
**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
