No Spine injection procedure is without its risks and complications. These are very rare and occasionally there are reports of:

Spine steroid injection for herniated disc is a very safe procedure. The Spine steroid injection is very carefully placed and under Xray control after sedation. Xrays allows accurate placement of the needle very close to the spinal nerve and therefore the spine steroid injection is delivered exactly around the site of inflammation of the nerve and the surrounding tissues. A contrast dye is used to check the position of the needle under x-ray control and the steroid with local anaesthetic solution is injected around inflamed nerve and soft tissues.

The dye improves the margin of safety and reduces the errors in needle placement. The risks and complications of the Spine steroid injection procedure like infection, bleeding and nerve damage are kept to the very minimum.

As soon as you have the Spine steroid injection, you will find immediate relief of pain in the back. This is because of the local anaesthetic solution used in the injection. This is the fluid that numbs your mouth when you go to the dentist. The effect of this numbing injection wears off in about 3 to 6 hours. You will be given pain medication to be taken before the effect of this injection wears off.

Your will stay in the hospital for four hours after the Spine steroid injection until you are safe to go home. You will be discharged home with clear instructions about when and how to take those pain medications.

As the steroid injection takes time to work on the inflammation of the nerve and the surroundings soft tissues, You will feel the pain coming back for a brief period of time before the steroid takes effect. Mild stretches and gentle physiotherapy is allowed during this time. It will improve mobility of your spine and increase the strength and tone of your muscles. You will get maximum benefit from physiotherapy after these Spine steroid injections.

Spine injection is a mixture of steroid and local anaesthetic. Kenalog is a Steroid commonly used in Spine steroid Injection. It has a 40 mgs of steroid in a sterile solution. This steroid works on the nerve root as it comes out of your spine and reduces pain and inflammation around them.

It blocks the release of chemicals that your body releases from ruptured or damaged discs, injured soft tissues around your spine. Steroid in the spine injection limits the production of proteins needed for these chemicals and supresses the painful nerve signals coming from these injured tissues. In addition, the local anaesthetic in the spine injection gives immediate pain relief and the steroid takes 24 to 48 hours to act on the inflammation.

The steroid and local anaesthetic in combination in the spine injection works very well. Due to the pain relief, there is more movement in the small (facet) joints and the soft tissues. This increase in movement will further reduce the stiffness around the bones, ligaments and muscles of your spine.

Spine steroid injection relieve your back and leg pain instantly due to the local anaesthetic effect of the numbing solution. When you go to the dentist this local anaesthetic works immediately to get to relief from your pain. In the same way, your back and leg pain will also be relieved immediately. However, this effect goes off in 24 to 48 hours. You’ll be given medication to go home with after the Spine steroid injection, so that you don’t feel the pain coming back.

In the meantime, the Spine steroid injection works on the inflamed nerve and soft tissues of your spine. This gives a longer duration of pain relief. Generally the pain relief varies from a period of 6 weeks to 6 months. Physiotherapy rehabilitation is advised along with the spine injection. The combination of Spine steroid injection and physiotherapy will offer you relief from your back pain for more than six months.

Yes, they do certainly work. As you know the Spine injection is a mixture of steroid and local anaesthetic. Kenalog is the steroid commonly used in a Spine Injection. It has a 40 mgs of steroid in a sterile solution. This steroid works on the nerve root as it comes out of your spine and reduces pain and inflammation around them.

Spine steroid injection works by blocking the chemicals that your body releases from ruptured or damaged discs, injured soft tissues around your spine. Steroid limits the production of proteins needed for these chemicals and supresses the painful nerve signals coming from these injured tissues. In addition, the local anaesthetic gives immediate pain relief and the steroid takes 24 to 48 hours to act on the inflammation.

The steroid and local anaesthetic in combination works very well. It also allows you to have physiotherapy rehabilitation so that there is more movement of your spine and soft tissues after the Spine steroid injection. This reduces the stiffness and spasm of the back and controls low back pain.

No, it does not hurt. The Spine steroid injection procedure is done under sedation with the help of a very experienced anaesthetist. He will make sure that you do not feel any pain during the entire procedure. You will wake up refreshed and free from pain. After the intial anesthetic wears off, you may feel the pain coming back. But do not worry. We will give you medications to go home so that you do not feel the pain after the  effect of the local anesthetic solution wears off.

In the meantime, the steroid in the spine injection acts on the inflammed nerves and soft tissues. It also blocks off all the pain signals that come from the spinal nerve and soft tissues.