Chronic lower back pain can be debilitating and significantly limit daily activities and quality of life. Lumbar disc herniation, in which cushioning discs between vertebrae in the lower spine are damaged and press on nearby nerves causing pressure and discomfort, is one common source of this discomfort. At Premier Pain & Spine Chicago we specialize in treating this condition using advanced methods including epidural injections; in this blog post we explore their role in mitigating pain caused by this condition.
Lumbar Disc Herniation
Lumbar disc herniation (aka herniated disc) occurs when an intervertebral disc in the lower back tears or weakens, allowing its gel-like material to protrude outward and press against spinal nerves, leading to symptoms like:
- Lower Back Pain: Chronic and often severe lower back discomfort.
- Sciatica: Sharp shooting pain that travels down either leg.
- Numbness/Tingling in Legs/Feet: Sensations of pins and needles in legs/feet.
- Muscle Weakness: Muscle weakness that prevents you from moving your feet easily.
The Role of Epidural Injections for Herniated Discs
Epidural steroid injections offer a minimally invasive solution to ease lumbar disc herniation-related discomfort. Epidural injections use corticosteroids and anesthetic medications injected directly into the epidural space—an area surrounding the affected nerves—to reduce inflammation, relieve pain and increase mobility.
How Epidural Injections Work: An Overview
Epidural injections are an invaluable means of alleviating pain associated with lumbar disc herniation. Here’s how it works and what to expect during the procedure:
Reducing Inflammation
Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications that can effectively decrease swelling and inflammation around a herniated disc or nerves affected by it. These injections help take pressure off these nerves to significantly decrease pain and discomfort levels.=
Offering Pain Relief
Injectable anesthetic provides instantaneous pain relief by numbing the affected area. Patients typically report experiencing significant relief shortly after their procedure, making physical therapy and rehabilitation activities more comfortable and manageable.
Enhancing Mobility
Epidural injections can dramatically enhance mobility and function by relieving pain and inflammation, making everyday tasks such as household tasks simpler for patients while strengthening the muscles supporting the spine.
What to Expect
At Premier Pain & Spine in Chicago, epidural injections are administered by our skilled pain management specialists in a safe and controlled environment. This four-step procedure typically takes about an hour:
#1. Patient Prep: After positioning comfortably, usually lying face down or on their side, an injection site must be cleaned and sterilized prior to administration in order to reduce infection risks.
#2. Local Anesthesia: Before administering injections, local anesthetic is applied at the injection site to numb the skin and tissues at this site and ensure minimal discomfort during the procedure.
#3. Guided Injection: With fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray), our pain doctors carefully insert needles into epidural spaces under guidance, then inject a corticosteroid and anesthetic mixture through this needle into their respective sites.
#4. Post-Procedure Monitoring: After an injection, patients are monitored closely to ensure there are no adverse reactions and facilitate rapid return to normal activities within days or even hours. Most can return home the same day with minimal symptoms and resume normal life as soon as they feel ready.
Benefits to Epidural Injections for Herniated Disc Pain
These injections may offer numerous advantages to those suffering from lumbar disc herniation:
- Minimally Invasive: This nonsurgical process poses minimal risk and recovery time compared to surgery.
- Quick Pain Relief: Patients often report experiencing significant relief quickly after receiving their injection.
- Epidural Injections Reduce Need for Oral Medications: Epidural injections offer targeted pain relief that may decrease reliance on oral medications that often have unfavorable side effects.
- Enhance Physical Therapy Participation: Epidural injections enable patients to fully engage with physical therapy sessions and help to foster long-term recovery and spine health.
Epidural Pain Injections in Chicago, IL
Our mission at Premier Pain & Spine in Chicago is to provide exceptional care for patients suffering from lumbar disc herniation and other pain conditions. Our team of specialized pain management providers utilize cutting-edge techniques and technologies to customize pain management plans tailored to each patient’s individual needs – we take great pride in being part of Chicago and helping our community live pain-free lives!
Are You Suffering From Lumbar Disc Herniation?
Don’t wait—reach out to Premier Pain & Spine immediately for long-term pain relief with epidural injections. Schedule Your Consultation Now at one of our convenient Chicago area locations.
Schaumburg: 1365 Wiley Rd. #153, Schaumburg, IL. Phone: 847-519-4701
Downers Grove: 3800 Highland Ave. # 101, Downers Grove, IL. Phone: 847-519-4701
Berwyn: 6920 Ogden Ave. Suite C, Berwyn, IL. Phone: 708-637-3534