Pain Management

Surgery may not be necessary for all patients. Some patients are better suited for pain management options. Our team of neurologists has extensive experience providing a variety of pain management options including:

Lumbar epidural steroid injection (LESI)

Injecting anti-inflammatory medication into the back to decrease swelling and pain.

Cortisone Injections

Corticosteroid Injections reduce inflammation and relieve pain within a few hours of the injection. They are often recommended for patients who have tried taking over-the-counter steroids without adequate results.

Many steroid injections contain a combination of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and anesthetic for shorter-term pain relief. Because corticosteroids are injected directly into the area of the back where the pain is located, the relief is more targeted. The effect usually lasts between two and three months, although it can last up to six months.

Steroid injections usually take about 20 minutes and can be administered in our office. The anesthetic in the injection will provide almost immediate pain relief. However, over the next 24 to 36 hours, you can experience tenderness, swelling, and pain. The full effects will be felt in a few days as the steroids begin to work, reducing swelling and alleviating pain.

Nerve Blocks for Spine Pain

Sometimes called spinal blocks, nerve blocks are steroid injections used to treat a specific spinal nerve’s inflammation. They are sometimes used for diagnosing the origins of the spine pain. The patient is given an anesthetic, or a combination of anesthetics and steroids, near where the swollen nerve exits the spine between the vertebrae to deaden pain and reduce inflammation.

When nerve blocks are administered, they inhibit specific enzymes associated with irritation and pain, block pain transmissions to the brain, and reduce blood flow to nerve fibers. All of these factors contribute to improved mobility and dramatically reduced pain.

Nerve blocks can last anywhere from a few weeks to a year. The length of effectiveness depends on several factors, including the location of the affected nerve. It is important to note that, while highly effective for some patients, nerve blocks don’t provide relief for everyone.

Epidural Injections for Back Pain

If spine or back pain is widespread (rather than limited to a single or a few nerves), an epidural injection may be performed. An epidural injection is similar to a nerve block, but it doesn’t target a specific nerve root: instead of being injected into the inflamed area, an epidural is injected into the epidural space in the spinal column for more generalized relief over a larger area. In cases of spinal stenosis, for example, an epidural injection can be more effective than a nerve block. Usually, three injections are given over several weeks, with results lasting from three months to a year.