Any risks for pre-surgery epidural injection?
I have nerve impingement in the L4-L5 area resulting in weakness and pain in my quad muscle. My neurosurgeon has suggested an epidural injection to confirm the specific nerve that is being affected by impingement and to accurately address the problem in surgery. Has anyone had this procedure done and has anyone experienced complications or harmful effects from this procedure?
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I had a' laminectmy'/'decompression' procedure five years ago at Mayo which was 100% sucessful in eliminating my sciatica. However I was informed that I hed 'arthiritus' in my lower back and that procedure would not correct that problem. Now I am experiencing lower back pain , I have had epidural injections in the past but am not sure if I can have them after the procedure. Any suggestions on the pain relief? I had hopes that some new treatments have come down the 'boardwalk' since then.
@barehandedfisherman I wanted to welcome you to Connect. I'm glad to see you've engaged with other members here.
Jennifer
Thank you! A valuable resource to be sure!
I’ll give one that I’m experiencing now. After injections I was nearly blind, diagnosed and treated for pressure increases in both eyes. After five months of prednisone drops off and on, I still can’t read or drive well.
@rwagers What did your doctors say about your eyes? The optic nerves are on the underside of the brain and not part of the spine. Perhaps this is coincidental and unrelated. Are you consulting an ophthalmologist?
I'm glad you found my comment helpful. Trust me you don't want to get hooked on opioids and trust me these injections performed by a board certified anesthesiologist with fluoroscopy guidance allows your doctor to see exactly where to inject the needle.