Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Injection
At Atlas Pain Care, Coimbatore, this procedure is typically done for managing sciatica - a condition in which the nerve is pinched due to a bulging disc caused by degenerative disc disease, causing radiating pain and altered sensations down the leg. It is done under X-ray control and consists of injecting a small volume of local anaesthetic and other painkillers near the affected nerve root. These medications help in resolving the compression on the nerve root and thus help in relieving the pain. One of the painkillers we occasionally use is a steroid in a very small dose. Since the dose is tiny and is accurately placed near the nerve root, the effects of the medication on other body systems is negligible.
How do I prepare for this injection?
Our experienced pain physicians at Atlas Pain Care will examine you thoroughly, and review any scans that you have already had before the injection is proposed. If you are on any blood thinners like clopidogrel or warfarin, we will explain to you how and when to stop them before proceeding with the injection. This is a day care procedure and will require admission for 4-6 hours.
The injection is done in a clean procedure room under X-ray guidance. Once you are in the procedure room you will be asked to lie on your tummy and a small needle be introduced through your back to reach the specific spinal nerve root. After confirming the position of the needle with X-rays, the medicines are injected and the needle is removed. You will be shifted to a recovery room and monitored for a couple of hours before being discharged home.
How long will this injection give me pain relief?
The duration of benefit with the injection is variable, and it is difficult to predict. Some may only have a transient pain relief (ranging from days to a few weeks) whereas others may have much longer benefit (from few months to a year). Transforaminal epidural injection in conjunction with good physical therapy has been a reliable treatment for sciatica. If and when the pain comes back this injection can be repeated. This injection is sometimes used as a diagnostic tool before proceeding with surgery to make sure that the patient will get good benefit from surgery.
What are the side effects of transforaminal epidural injection?
There are a few short-term side effects with this injection. One among those is a feeling of heaviness in the leg in which you previously had pain. This is because of the local anaesthetic action on the nerve root and will wear off in a few hours. This is the reason it is important for you to have somebody to care for you for a few hours after the injection. Apart from this it is a relatively straight forward and a safe procedure. Please read our FAQ section to know more about the do's and don'ts prior to and after the procedure.