Procedure

Relief can begin shortly after the procedure, and most patients report relief within a few days.

How should I prepare for the procedure?

The epidural steroid injection is a safe medical procedure but, as with any procedure, it has risks as well as benefits. To minimize the chance of complications, we ask that you follow a few simple guidelines:

Dietary considerations

If the plan for your procedure is to use a relaxing medication through an IV, do not eat or drink anything six hours prior to the procedure. An exception is always made for routine scheduled medication, which you can take with a sip of water.

Transportation

We require that a responsible adult driver accompany you to and from your appointment.

What happens during the procedure?

For most epidural steroid injection procedures, you lie on your stomach on the treatment table.  After cleaning a small patch of your skin, we give you an injection of numbing medication.  We then place an x-ray machine over you to help guide the needle to the correct position.

Next, a contrast dye is injected to confirm the proper placement of the needle.  Finally, the treatment medication is injected.

The procedure itself is usually brief, often less than 5 minutes.  While you might feel some pain, the procedure is usually tolerated well without much discomfort.

What happens after the procedure?

After the epidural steroid medication has been injected, we will continue to monitor you for about 20 minutes. If there are no signs of problems, you will be ready to leave. You may go to the reception area and schedule your follow-up appointment.