Spinal injections can be beneficial in two ways – providing pain relief and also as a diagnostic test to correctly identify the exact location of pain.

There are several conditions in which a spinal injection may be applied ranging from the neck to the lower back and may be inserted to relieve joint or nerve pain. The type of spinal injection you receive will vary depending on your issue.

Procedure

Spinal injections are performed under a type of X-Ray called fluoroscopy. A liquid dye is inserted prior to the epidural medication which highlights the flow . This precisely shows exactly where the injection is being inserted into the spine.

Firstly, you will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area around the injection site. A thin, hollow needle is then inserted. Once the needle is positioned correctly, the steroid and/or anesthetic is inserted. You will not be able to feel anything when the needle goes it, however once it reaches the spinal cord you may feel a little discomfort. It is very important not to move during the procedure. The procedure last between 20-40 minutes.

Epidural Injection: The injection is inserted into the epidural space, the space around the sheath covering the spinal nerves, and the anesthetic epidural medication is inserted directly through a catheter.

Types of Spinal Injections

Epidural injection: targets the space that surrounds your spinal cord

Facet or sacroiliac joint injection: targets the joints that link the bones of your spine

Nerve root injection: targets individual nerves and can either be simply blocked from feeling or steroidal medication used to decrease inflammation

Discography: a lesser used procedure used to identify the particular disc causing issue through controlled aggravation on multiple discs