Epidural Injections in Rancho Mirage
Minimally invasive pain relief treatment
What is an Epidural Injection?
At Desert Pain Specialists we offer epidural injections to treat bodily pain and reduce inflammation. Although epidurals are closely associated with pregnancy, they can also be used to provide pain relief throughout the body for other situations. An epidural injection is an effective pain relief treatment that can target areas such as the neck, arm, back, and leg. This treatment involves both a corticosteroid and an anesthetic being injected into the epidural space resulting in reduced inflammation and pain. Results vary per patient and can provide short to long term pain relief. Epidural injections can result in short to long term pain relief depending on the patient. For even better and longer lasting results, epidural injections can complement other various treatment methods for better pain relief.
Candidates for an Epidural Injection
You can qualify for epidural injections if you are suffering from pain and inflammation in the neck, arm, back, or leg. Epidural injections can target these areas and provide pain relief for various conditions related to bodily pain such as the following:
- A herniated disc, which is when the inner part of the disc bulges through an area, causing irritation, pain, and swelling.
- Spinal stenosis, which can be painful such as when walking due to the spinal canal and nerve root canal narrowing.
- Sciatica, which is characterized by pain in the buttocks and lower legs due to compressed sciatic nerves.
- Degenerative disc disease, which can make even normal back movement painful and may even cause bone spur growth.
- Spondylosis, which can leave pain deep within the nerve roots and can be caused by damage to part of the vertebrae.
Epidural Treatment Process
Before Treatment
For a more seamless treatment, Dr. Lai will consult with you about your medical history including medications you’re currently taking. We will examine your problem areas of pain so we can decide the best placement for the epidural injection treatment
During Treatment
Dr. Lai will perform this nonsurgical alternative treatment for pain relief. The treatment process is rather short for the epidural injection and can last from 15 to 45 minutes followed by a quick recovery period. To make the process more comfortable for you, we numb the treatment area with local anesthesia. Dr. Lai will then use an image guiding system such as fluoroscopy or computed tomography to accurately insert the epidural injection into the area of pain. This is important as the treatment is the most effective when it is placed close to the pain.
After Treatment
Most of our patients are able to simply walk right out after they receive the epidural injection treatment and go about their normal lifestyle–no diet restrictions even! Just to ensure a safe recovery though, Dr. Lai recommends you do the following:
- Wait for a specified amount of time before leaving
- Have someone ready to take you home
- Avoid lifting anything 25 pounds or over
Epidural Results
Our patients at Desert Pain Specialists notice immediate pain relief from the epidural injection treatment. The epidural injection results vary from person to person, so some may need a few more injections in order to fully enjoy the treatment’s benefits. However, in the end you can experience semi to even permanent pain relief. It’s important to note that although this treatment does not permanently cure your condition, it is a great source of pain relief to alleviate your symptoms. For even more benefits, epidural injections can be paired with other treatments such as physical therapy so that you can build your strength and live a healthy lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Epidural injections are a nonsurgical option to alleviate targeted body pain. This treatment provides pain relief by reducing inflammation, tingling, and numbness in the area causing you pain.
The epidural injections are composed of steroid and numbing medications that are inserted into your targeted area of pain providing pain relief.
We use local anesthesia to numb the area before inserting the epidural injection to minimize any discomfort. During the injection, you may feel pressure and slight pain. The pain and discomfort experienced during treatment will not last, and the treatment can even provide immediate pain relief results.
The lasting effects from epidural injection treatment varies by person. The results can range from semi to even permanent pain relief. Depending on your results, you may need to return and get more epidural injections so that you can receive the full benefits of the treatment.
Most patients are able to go about their normal routine right after receiving epidural injection treatment. However, you should avoid lifting anything 25 pounds or over.
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