My first injection in 2011 was done by a radiologist, recommended by a family friend who worked at the VA hospital in Gainesville FL. He was excellent. Image guided at L4, he told me if it didn’t help not to get anymore, not everyone responds to epidurals. It did not. Unfortunately, once I was sent to pain management by my primary doctor, that was part of their treatment plan and I had many injections over the next few years, which did not help. I finally said no more!
But I just tried again, had one in a new spot, at L5-S1, which they determined was the source of my pain since my fusion two years ago. I was going on a cruise and needed some pain relief. It did help Reduce the pain for a week, for which I was very grateful! The lidocaine, which I had in combination with the steroid, I was told is diagnostic only; if it stopped the pain even for a few minutes, that was where the problem lies. However, it is temporary. The steroid was added this time, hoping it will help for a longer period of time.