Anybody done the injections?
Physical therapy and topical creams don't seem to be working for me, so it looks like I will be taking the injections. The doctor says it will be four injections, done under anesthesia. I absolutely dread being put under. Has anyone had to undergo this? What can I expect for relief?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.
Definitely
dutch 4441 I think our back doctors have run out of ideas to help alleviate the pain, and I'm afraid they really don't know what precisely causes the pain. Are we then on our own?
I believe you may be right. One doc said I need a Level 2 back fusion. Definitely not going to do that. So will just try to live with the excruciating pain. Now going to move to some alternative medical procedures like acupuncture, etc.
I have had several rounds of injections. I only had local anaesthesia. There was minor discomfort due to the pressure of having the needle pushed in. Pretty straight forward. They just didn't do anything to help me.
I'd try a different pain management Doc. I did injections for six years ... they finally wouldn't work well...but that was a good run
A lot depends on where the problem ish located. I had a single shot early with no relief.
After a while I had a new pain doctor. She looked at my images and gave me 2 shots, one on each side of the nerve branches emanating from the spine. She used a flouoscope to more accurately guide the shots. Woke up the next day with no pain. It’s been several months now with no,pain.
Do the injections help with the stiffness? I don't have pain. PT has really helped with the stiffness, but in cold/damp weather, the stiffness is a challenge. I'm in the Tampa Bay area (no hurricane damage), so our "winter" is short and mild, but it still makes my stiffness worse.
Also, what is it that is injected?
Thanks.
I am in Ocala at the moment. Our main home is in Connecticut where I get the shots. It is a steroid injection and definitely helps me with stiffness. I do have a lot of pain that the shots help short term. Irene5
I'm a twenty year veteran of spinal injections. If you are afraid of the anesthesia just say no. It doesn't hurt that much, and you can drive yourself home. I like being independent.
So what pain relief do you use now, may I ask?