12 Jun Spinal Injections: What You Need to Know
Back pain can make simple tasks feel impossible. When rest, ice, and light exercise don’t help, spinal injections may be the next step. These treatments deliver medication directly to the source of your pain. By targeting the area around your spine, injections can reduce inflammation, ease nerve pressure, and help you move more freely. Here’s what you need to know about spinal injections.
What Are Spinal Injections?
Spinal injections are shots given near your spine. They use steroids and a numbing medicine to calm inflammation and block pain signals. Because the medicine goes right to the problem area, many people feel relief faster than with pills alone.
Common Types of Spinal Injections
- Epidural Steroid Injections
- Location: Into the space around your spinal cord (the epidural space)
- Benefit: Reduces swelling and pain from herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or sciatica
- What to Expect: A quick procedure using imaging guidance to place the needle
- Facet Joint Injections
- Location: Into the small joints between your spinal bones (facet joints)
- Benefit: Eases arthritis pain or joint inflammation in your spine
- What to Expect: A shot that numbs and soothes the joint; often used to confirm the pain source
- Nerve Block Injections
- Location: Around specific spinal nerves that send pain signals
- Benefit: Blocks pain messages from nerves affected by injury or disease
- What to Expect: Relief that may allow you to do more physical therapy
- Sacroiliac Joint Injections
- Location: In the joint where your spine meets your pelvis
- Benefit: Reduces pain in the lower back, hips, or buttocks from sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- What to Expect: A targeted injection that can confirm if this joint is causing your pain
Who Can Benefit?
Spinal injections are for people whose back pain:
- Lasts more than a few weeks
- Spreads into the legs or arms
- Causes numbness or weakness
- Doesn’t improve with home treatments
Your doctor will review your health history, perform a physical exam, and may order an MRI or X-ray. This helps pick the right injection for your condition.
What Happens During the Procedure?
- Preparation: You lie on a table while the skin is cleaned.
- Imaging: Fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray) or ultrasound guides the needle.
- Injection: Medicine is slowly released into the target area.
- Recovery: You rest briefly. Mild soreness may occur but usually fades within a day or two.
Benefits and Risks
Benefits
- Fast relief of inflammation and pain
- Helps you take part in physical therapy
- Can delay or avoid surgery
Risks
- Mild pain or swelling at the injection site
- Headache or dizziness for a short time
- Rarely, infection or bleeding
Doctors use sterile techniques and careful imaging to minimize risks.
Spinal injections can unlock better movement and less pain. If constant back pain is limiting your life, schedule a consultation today. Our spine specialists will guide you through your options and create a plan to help you get back to doing what you enjoy.