Americans’ backs are breaking. Roughly one-quarter of American adults report experiencing chronic lower back pain. It is the most common type of pain that Americans report to their doctors.
One reason why it is so common is that there are few treatments for it. Spinal injections are one important treatment. Yet they are by no means perfect.
What are the kinds of spinal injections you can receive? What kinds of pain do spinal injections resolve? What are some potential side effects and safety concerns?
Answer these questions and you can decide if spinal injections for back pain are your best treatment. Here is your quick guide.
Types of Spinal Injections
There are a few different types of spinal injections, each with different effects on safety. Epidural injections deliver medication to the epidural space. The epidural space is a gap between the spinal cord membrane and the vertebrae.
Facet joint injections go into the joints between the vertebrae. Some doctors inject directly into the joint, but others inject into the nerves around the joint.
Sacroiliac joint injections go into the joints between the sacrum and pelvic bones. These bones are in the lower back and upper buttocks. A doctor can perform provocation discography anywhere.
Uses for Spinal Injections
Epidural, facet joint, and sacroiliac joint injections all help with pain. The spinal injections for pain administer pain-killing medication to the body, including muscle relaxants.
A doctor can customize epidural and facet joint shots to meet a number of pain conditions. Shots can help with neck or middle back pain. Sacroiliac joint injections are for lower back pain in particular.
Provocation discography helps diagnose pain. It injects liquid into disks and muscles to assess how a person experiences pain. A doctor can then assess any skeletal or health problems.
Spinal Injection Side Effects
Most spinal injections have few side effects. But some people may not be good candidates for them. People who get skin infections or swelling from shots should not get them.
The most common side effects include bleeding and muscle weakness. These effects have more to do with the skin being punctured than anything else. If a person receives a steroid, they may experience facial flushing and nausea.
An epidural spinal injection may cause the most problems. It can result in a headache, especially if the injection goes into the upper back. Moving around after getting a shot can cause bleeding or skin chafing.
The Essentials of Spinal Injections for Pain
Spinal injections are a common treatment for back pain. There are several different types of injections based on where on the back they go into. Some target the vertebrae while others touch joints.
Epidural and facet joint shots help with all kinds of back pain and neck pain. Sacroiliac injections help with lower back pain. Provocation discography is a diagnostic tool for pain.
Most injections result in no major side effects. But you may experience some bleeding or swelling, as with most other shots.
Don’t fight back pain on your own. Learn about other treatments by following our coverage.
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