Lumbar Steroid Injection vs Facet Nerve Block

That's the thing, you never know how long these shots will last. I found that each shot lasted a different amount of time.
Best of luck!
Ronnie
GRANDMAr

I’m scheduled for an upper back nerve conduction study, then a lower back nerve conduction study, then a ‘medical branch block’ over a 10 day period at the end of this month.
I had 3 epidural injections scheduled years ago with another doctor. The 1st injection went okay. When I returned for the 2nd injection I told the doctor I didn’t have pain relief from the 1st epidural. The doctor was obviously frustrated with me for saying that. When he proceeded with the 2nd epidural, he didn’t prep my back with a numbing agent, or what ever is used and it was so painful I screamed so loud that people waiting in the lobby told me they could hear me when I left the facility. It was so painful, I was devastated! I never went back for the 3rd epidural or to that doctor. I don’t know what the difference was between the 1st and 2nd injections, but I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone! Based on the doctors behavior after I told him the 1st epidural didn’t provide relief, I felt he changed or simply didn’t provide the prep I received for the 1st epidural. Now I’m afraid of and have anxiety about the prospect of injections in my back.
What has your experience been with the facet and nerve block injections? Are the procedures themselves painful? I’ve been told the nerve conduction studies are similar to acupuncture. I’ve had acupuncture and tolerated it well. It’s the injections I’m wondering about!

I actually have personal experience with this. I had a great Pain doctor. On the first epidural, I felt no pain and had no sedation. On the second one, it was excruciating. He acknowledged my pain as he was doing the procedure and apologized saying that sometimes what he is doing actually rides against the nerve or something like that. He said he could offer me light sedation for the next one and it was perfect. I was fully conscious but didn't feel anything. I was just too scared of the excruciating pain (and I screamed, too) but he acknowledged it and apologized profusely. He at no time became frustrated with me or told me the pain was in my head.

Please see a different doctor!

Easy for me to say. I started seeing a new one and for my first injection I wanted light sedation. I was wheeled into the procedure room and they started the medication in my arm like usual. The next thing I know I wake up in a different room. I was totally under anesthesia and had no idea how I got from one room to the next. When I saw the nurse practitioner after the injection a couple weeks later she said she heard the epidural didn't work for me and I said no it didn't but maybe we needed to try a different dermatome. She said no, it didn't work because I was mentally ill and I was feeling pain on the wrong side of my body and I should be having excruciating pain in my neck. I think I was in shock. She said after my insurance approved it, they would contact me for the next epidural. It wasn't until I got home and was crying for days that I realized that if my pain was in my head, why was she scheduling me for another epidural. I haven't recovered from that and am afraid to get any help for my pain because what if it is because I am mentally ill and that's been the reason for my pain the last 13 years?

Wow! That’s horrible! I was told by a doctor I was seeing for pain (long ago) that I needed to see a physiatrist! He couldn’t help me and blamed that on my mental health!
Don’t let that doctor or nurse keep you from seeing another doctor! I left the doctor I mentioned who preformed my epidurals. Not so much because he didn’t prepare me for the painful procedure, but because of his attitude towards me after simply telling him the previous epidural didn’t help my pain. I asked him for a referral to a well known pain doctor who treated patients with fibromyalgia and instead of referring me he called that doctor and black listed me from seeing him. There are bad doctors and nurses! Bad attitudes, bad bedside manors, bad staff, bad, bad, bad! But there are excellent doctors too! I think I’ve found a good pain doctor. After years on pain medication but no treatment, I’m willing to try something to see if it will help. From what I’ve learned, it seems that these injections and treatments help some people, but not forever! I’ve had that experience myself. A medication works great for a period of time then stops working. I use a lot of natural techniques for distraction from pain. I’m fully aware my mental attitude about my pain is important. I have depression and see a therapist, but that doesn’t mean my pain has anything to do with my mental health. I choose to learn and apply the things that assist me living with pain. I believe in the mind body connection to pain. What that means to me is that my mental outlook and what I do to live with pain are an important part of treatment! Relaxation techniques, meditation, stretching, tolerable exercise, hobbies, art, music. I prop myself up with pillows and watch a good movie when I’m fatigued from pain. I eat foods that help with inflammation, smoothies, etc. Educating myself about what might help is a distraction itself!
You’re not alone! I’ve seen some real winners! I’ve also seen doctors who do care and give me hope. Pain is a tricky thing! The past 10 years for me has been about balance. I realize doctors may not be able to treat all my pain.
I want some kind of warning or preparation if an injection is going to be so painful that I scream in pain and am traumatized afterward! Doctors should know from experience if this might happen, that’s all I ask!

You said it all! Thank you for sharing so I know I'm not the only person that happened to. My first epidural I felt relief for a year. I stupidly thought I was done with the pain so continued my previous exercise pattern. When it came back, epidurals didn't work any longer but it didn't stop me from trying to find just the right spot. I, too, am always looking for ways to get off pain meds and I usually have very supportive doctors. About a year ago I tried myofascial release and it was too painful for me. However, when I decided to try again, the practitioner was very understanding and is taking a very slow approach this time. I am actually seeing some pain relief but know it will be a long journey since I've dealt with it for 13 years. Dry needling also gave me some relief but the person who did it moved away and subsequent therapists definitely were not as good or communicative to ensure they were targeting the right source of pain.
I also meet with a psychologist every 2 weeks as well as twice a week chiropractic and twice a month deep tissue massage. It's a lot of money to spend to try and get rid of the pain and the meds but I believe one day I will be successful if I have a good support system.

Your very welcome! I want to tell you that I have been taking opioid pain medication for 19 years. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2003 and have other health issues that contribute to pain. In 2019 my doctor started to taper my pain medication after the 2016 CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines were published. Those ‘guidelines’ soon became implemented as if they were law. In March this year, my pain doctor lost his license to prescribe opiates. The DEA went after him, as they are with other pain doctors and revoked his license. All his patients scrambled to find new doctors, including me. Since then, it’s been impossible for me to find a doctor who will prescribe that dosage of pain medication. My dosage had been tapered down to the 90MME requirement in the guidelines, but doctors are scared to prescribe so a new doctor abruptly cut me to 40MME (morphine milligram equivalent) or 40mg a day. So, for the past few years I’ve been in a constant state of withdrawal and heighten pain. On Wednesday last week, I took my last pain pill. My new doctor has prescribed something to help with withdrawal, an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxers. It’s only been 3 days but I actually feel better than I did on opioids. No medication is perfect and ideally I’d like to be off them! But right now I’m accepting the treatment plan with this new doctor to see if it will help. If he can help me get moving physically, I will be able to gradually build back strength and hopefully do more! I’ve read that taking opioids for long periods of time can actually start to contribute to body pain. I now have the opportunity to check that out for myself! I definitely will not stay on these meds for 19 years!

I have stopped and started opioids over the years. I’d go months without taking and then have a flare. It angers me that the government doesn’t put money into finding a new pain medication that doesn’t have side effects and isn’t addictive instead of wasting our money fighting drug related issues (not just opioids) and work on finding cures for the issues that cause the pain in the first place. I’ve given this a lot of thought as I’ve been off opioids again the last 6 months and just had to start again. Luckily I’ve never had to go over 40 PPE. I should be grateful for that! I am so sorry about what happened to your doctor.

He should be disbarred!

I don’t mind stopping opioids, I welcome the change! I’ve always looked at using meds for pain as a quality of life matter. I just don’t want to be completely immobile! I’ve seen 3 doctors total in 19 years who prescribed my meds. I’ve taken drug screens every couple months and never violated my medication dosage.
It’s cruel to discontinue pain medication without taper. It’s also dangerous so it makes no sense to me why our government would create this situation. Doctors have no excuse not to taper a patient off opioids! It’s just getting there after being on pain meds for so long. I agreed to the treatment plan my new pain doctor offered with the goal of becoming more mobile. This is a transitional time for me!
I’m glad to hear you’ve had times you were able to manage without pain medication! There is a difference between addiction and dependence. I didn’t get ‘high’ from opioid use, it allowed me to function! I think that’s the case with a lot of chronic pain patients. Of corse addiction is a concern! But if a chronic pain patient has no history of abuse, that needs to count for something!
We need more available and affordable treatment options in this country if we’re ever going to help people who become addicted to drugs, whether it’s prescription medication or street drugs!

Mines going on 5-6 years so now I probably need another MRI since I’m having more pain again. I have DDD and fibro too so it’s a lot!