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Lumbar Steroid Injection vs Facet Nerve Block

Spine Health | Last Active: Sep 20, 2022 | Replies (39)

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@anne4u

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!

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Replies to "Wow! That’s horrible! I was told by a doctor I was seeing for pain (long ago)..."

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.

A physiatrist is different from a psychiatrist. If your doctor actually recommended a physiatrist, he was recommending a doctor who, in a sense, specializes in musculoskeletal issues. I was referred to one when I had a bad back injury that resulted in four herniated lumbar discs. The doctor who recommended me was an orthopedic surgeon who wanted to help me avoid surgery, thank heavens. The physiatrist put together the physical therapy program that helped me heal fully.