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@labgirl Hi Janet. I appreciate you sharing your experience here. I was wondering if you had an inflammatory response to the epidural injection? Perhaps you could be sensitive to an ingredient in it? I say that because I had one epidural injection in my neck done as a diagnostic, and I had an immediate pain during the injection that started causing burning electric shock pains stabbing into my fingers. I didn't have that pain before the injection. A few years ago, I also had an allergic like reaction to a Covid vaccine and went to the emergency room. After they infused antihistamines, I was fine in 20 minutes. The vaccine had polyethylene glycol in it that had been reported to bother some people, and I have wondered if that is also used in epidural steroid injections. It's a hunch or guess on my part, but something to ask about if you are considering an injection. I won't do any more spine injections, and at this point I don't need them anyway.
Jennifer
Replies to "@labgirl Hi Janet. I appreciate you sharing your experience here. I was wondering if you had..."
I too had a bad reaction to a diagnosic c7 epidural shot, before the injection I only ever have pain in my scapula down my right arm and into my first 2 fingers, the pressure and pain from the injection caused me to pass out briefly, it gave me no pain relief at all, all it did was cause instant burning electric shock like pain and really restricted movement in my neck and thoracic spine
I ended up having a c6/7 spinal fusion 3mths after this procedure. Then 5mths after surgery pain had intensified and spread and I was diagnosed with CRPS, my pain specialist seems to think my CRPS was caused by needle sensitivity rather than the surgery.
I’m now 12mths post surgery and have been diagnosed with ipsilateral CRPS (my whole right side) and nerve studies now show permanent damage in c7 nerve ( that’s where I had both the epidural and the fusion) but pain specialist refuses to try any type of nerve block injection as he feels I could have the same type of needle sensitivity.
Funny thing you mention which I never really though about, is I also had an allergic reaction to the Covid vaccine, ambulance ride, 2 adrenaline shots and an antihistamine infusion…
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I really don't think my pain during injection was due to an inflammatory response. As soon as the 5cc were pushed into my spinal cord and the needle removed, the pain abated.
As I've written to others, there will be no more spinal injections for me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!