What are spinal injections?
As the name implies, spinal injections use a tiny needle to inject medicinal substances into areas near your spinal cord to reduce discomfort. Spinal injections can ease:
- Upper, middle, and lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Leg pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Burning pain
- Aching discomfort
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Reduced range of motion
The Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute team offers several spinal injections to match your needs. Your specialist uses X-ray guidance when needed to guide the placement of the medication injected and maximize safety.
What are the different kinds of spinal injections?
Some of the many kinds of spinal injections available at Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute include:
Epidural injections
Epidural injections contain an anesthetic and often an anti-inflammatory medicine. Your provider injects the medicine near an affected nerve. They place a needle into the epidural space near the membrane that protects your spinal cord. Epidural injections can reduce inflammation and pain.
Facet joint injections
Your specialist can place facet joint injections in and around your facet joints, which are joints between each vertebra in your spine. Your specialist will recommend facet joint injections if you experience pain caused by arthritis, other types of degeneration, or an injury.
Cortisone injections
Cortisone injections contain steroid medications and an anesthetic. They can reduce inflammation and pain in targeted areas of your body.
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine uses stem cells from fat or amniotic tissue or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from your blood to stimulate your body’s natural ability to heal.
Provocation discography
Provocation discography is a diagnostic procedure in which your provider injects a liquid into a spinal disc to find the source of ongoing back pain.
What should I expect during my injections?
With spinal injections, your specialist injects a liquid dye and uses X-ray guidance so they can properly place a needle and medications. They numb the treatment area before the spinal injections to maximize your comfort. You can often go home the same day as your procedure. Expect temporary redness or swelling in the treatment area that should soon go away on its own.
After the procedure and in the weeks to follow, you can expect less swelling, reduced pain, and an increased range of motion in the joint. Your doctor could recommend several injections spaced apart over time to give you the best results.
Don’t live with ongoing back pain, neck pain, other types of discomfort when spinal injections offer effective pain relief. Call the Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
