Are you struggling with intense, hard-to-treat pain affecting your legs, arm, and neck? Such pain mostly results from spinal nerve problems, such as narrowed nerve passages causing nerve irritation. Sandy Springs epidural steroid injection (ESI) can help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain by delivering medicine directly into the epidural space guided by advancements like an ultrasound-guided procedure for precision. The injection helps deal with inflammation caused by spine issues like herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, bone spurs, joint cysts, thickened ligaments, and spinal stenosis. Among the reasons epidural steroid injections continue to gain popularity includes:
A surgery alternative
Many people are not open to surgery, while others are not good candidates, especially when it involves the spine. The many risks and potential complications can outweigh the pain relief. This does not mean you are doomed if the pain has failed to respond to medication. ESI offers an effective alternative that can eliminate the need for surgery. ESI is a minimally invasive and fast outpatient procedure and a more cost-effective alternative to surgery. While you may need repeat treatments, the cost and the pain-relieving effect ESI offers are desirable, not to mention you won’t be subjected to any downtime for recovery.
Instant pain relief
ESI can include steroids and anesthetics. The anesthetic offers instant pain relief as it blocks the signals from the affected nerve. After the anesthetic wears off, you will be in much less pain as the steroid reduces inflammation and swelling that is irritating the nerve. This means instant and lasting pain relief, which you are unlikely to realize with options like NSAID drugs. You may need a few injections to deliver notable relief following the extent of the inflammation and damage caused. Nonetheless, the relief can last for months.
Improved function
While ESI only addresses inflammation and pain, it can significantly help improve your function. The inflammation and pain alleviation can help you be more active since the discomfort affecting your limbs’ use is reduced. You can walk easily, grab things, and manage your routine better, improving the quality of your life. Even better, ESI can be paired with other measures like physical therapy for optimal effect. This can significantly improve your range of motion and functionality and deliver a long-term solution.
Fewer risks and side effects
ESI is not ideal for everyone since it has certain side effects. If you are pregnant, have a severe allergy to corticosteroids or anesthetics, have an infection in the bloodstream, have congestive heart failure, have uncontrolled diabetes, or have conditions that increase bleeding risks, you are unsuitable for ESI. ESI has fewer risks and side effects than surgery or pain relievers despite such exclusions. Surgery has a higher infection and bleeding risk, while NSAIDs can lead to side effects affecting areas other than the spine, like causing indigestion and stomach ulcers.
Untreated pain exposes you to many risks that can even lead to disability. While pain alleviation measures like NSAIDs may have failed, you are not necessarily destined for surgery. ESI can deliver adequate pain relief needed to lead an active life. Visit Alliance Spine & Pain today for more on epidural steroid injection and find out if you are a good candidate.
