What Is An Urgent Care Center For Back Pain
An urgent care center is a healthcare facility that provides short-term care for medical emergencies. Urgent care centers are usually open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They typically offer more comprehensive care than traditional emergency rooms, and they can provide treatment for less serious medical conditions.
Urgent care centers typically have walk-in clinics, which means that you dont need to be registered or have an appointment to visit. You can also find urgent care centers in shopping malls and other public places.
Urgent care centers offer different types of injections for back pain. These injections may help reduce the pain and inflammation caused by back pain. In some cases, the injections may even allow you to return to work or school soon after arriving at the center.
Lumbar Puncture And Corticosteroid Injections
Lumbar punctures are usually used to determine the cause of back pain. A small needle is inserted into the lower back to collect spinal fluid for examination. If theres an infection or damage, corticosteroid injections may be given in order to speed healing. These injections may provide short-term relief from your back pain, but they dont cure the problem.
Do You Need Epidural Steroid Injections
If you believe an epidural steroid injection might be the right choice to treat your back pain, we can help you.
NWA Interventional Pain is a comprehensive pain clinic offering solutions to your chronic pain. We individually tailor your treatment plan to ensure that we treat your pain in the manner that is best for you.
If youd like to speak with us about your treatment options, use our contact page to get in touch.
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What Happens Before A Caudal Injection
Before a caudal injection, your provider will ask for a complete health history and medication list. Its important to share all your current medications and supplements. Some medications or supplements thin your blood, which increases bleeding risks. You will likely need to stop taking these medications a few days before the injection.
You will also need a ride home from your injection appointment. You should not drive for at least 24 hours after a caudal injection.
Selective Nerve Root Block
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Selective nerve root blocks are one of the most commonly given spinal injections. They are used to treat or diagnose back and/or leg pain resulting from damaged nerve roots, a collection of nerves that branch off the main spinal cord all along your spine. A compressed or irritated nerve root can result in leg pain that most people call sciatica, although its technical name is radiculopathy.
A 2013 guidelines report by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians points out that although the evidence for accuracy of diagnostic selective nerve root blocks is limited, they are recommended for patients whose pain source is uncertain and occurs on multiple levels of the spine.
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Who Should Get Hyaluronic Injections
Hyaluronic acid injections are sometimes recommended for patients with diabetes who have knee osteoarthritis because hyaluronic acid injections do not raise blood sugar the way corticosteroids do. There is no evidence, however, that suggests that hyaluronic acid injections provide significant relief for knee pain, and they are not recommended for managing knee osteoarthritis under the American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation guidelines.
What to expect:
- You may receive between one and five hyaluronic acid injections.
- If you have excess swelling and fluid buildup in your knee joint, your healthcare provider will use a needle to aspirate, or remove, the fluid before injecting the hyaluronic acid.
- You should avoid prolonged standing, walking, jogging, running, or heavy lifting for the first 48 hours after receiving a hyaluronic acid injection.
It may take up to four weeks to notice any significant improvement, and the effects can vary from two to six months. Hyaluronic acid injections may be repeated about once every six months.
Similar to corticosteroids, research examining the efficacy of hyaluronic injections has yielded mixed results, with some studies reporting significant pain relief and others reporting no effects or insignificant effects on pain.
- No major adverse events were associated with these injections
- Itcan cause a temporary increase in inflammation in the joint that was injected and has been linked to post-injection pseudgout flares.
What Happens During A Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Procedure
You will likely have your lumbar epidural steroid injection in a hospital or an outpatient clinic. In most cases, a lumbar ESI takes 15 to 30 minutes. Its important to be very still during this procedure.
There are different ways your healthcare provider can access the epidural space around your spinal cord in your low back, which include:
The general steps of a lumbar epidural steroid injection procedure include:
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Is A Spinal Injection For You
Tell your doctor if you:
- Are pregnant or may become pregnant before the procedure.
- Have diabetes or any heart conditions.
- Have any bleeding disorders.
These wont automatically disqualify you from having a spinal injection. However, the information will help you and your doctor make the decision.
At OSA, we understand that back pain is discouraging and impacts your daily life, making it hard to live that active Florida lifestyle many of us enjoy. When used in a well-rounded recovery program, spinal injections can be a helpful treatment for many patients with back pain.
Potential Risks And Contraindications For Epidural Injections
Epidural steroid injections are considered a relatively safe and minimally invasive. Temporary side effects may occur in some cases and include :
- Post-injection pain
- Flushing of the face
These side effects typically resolve in a few minutes to hours. Serious complications, while rare, may include spinal cord damage, dural puncture, and/or stroke.9,10
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How Cortisone Shots Work
Steroid injections contain various formulations of medications. A common combination is a numbing drug similar to procaine mixed with the anti-inflammatory drug cortisone.
Once the cortisone injection finds its target, the numbing effect will start to wear off within hours. “As the numbing agent wears off, the pain may temporarily come back,” Dr. Shmerling says. “Then 24 to 48 hours after the injection, you can begin to expect whatever benefit you’re going to get.”
How Injections For Back Pain Work & When Theyre An Option
Most Americans have back pain at some time or another. Its a common reason for missed work and trips to the doctor. If basic over-the-counter care isnt helping your pain, could injections for back pain be the solution?
Eric JacksononFebruary 25, 2022
For many people, back pain flares up suddenly, sometimes causing a restless nights sleep. This is known as acute back pain and can typically be treated with at-home care. Medical advice for acute back pain includes warm baths, applying ice or trying an over-the-counter pain reliever.
But another common condition is chronic back painwhen spinal discomfort lasts for at least 12 weeks and basic care doesnt relieve the pain. When a person has chronic back pain, a doctor may recommend other treatments, such as prescription medications, physical therapy or injections.
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What Happens During Treatment
At the time of the procedure, you will be asked to sign consent forms, list medications you are presently taking, and if you have any allergies to medication. The procedure may last 15-45 minutes, followed by a recovery period.
The goal is to inject the medication as close to the painful nerve as possible. The type of injection depends on your condition and if you have metal rods or screws from previous surgery. The doctor will decide which type is likely to produce the best results.
Step 1: prepare the patient The patient lies on an x-ray table. Local anesthetic is used to numb the treatment area so discomfort is minimal throughout the procedure. The patient remains awake and aware during the injection to provide feedback to the physician. A low dose oral sedative, such as Valium or Versed, may be offered depending on the center.
Step 2: insert the needle With the aid of an x-ray fluoroscope, the doctor directs a hollow needle through the skin and between the bony vertebrae into the epidural space. Fluoroscopy allows the doctor to watch the needle in real-time on the x-ray monitor, ensuring that the needle goes to the desired location. Some discomfort occurs, but patients more commonly feel pressure than pain. There are several types of ESIs:
- Cervical ESI . The needle entry site is from the side of neck to reach the neural foramen, just above the opening for the nerve root and outside the epidural space . Contrast dye is injected to confirm where the medication will flow.
Injections And Implants For Back Pain Relief
These procedures and devices deliver pain medications right to the pain source.
People try many treatments for back pain, from physical therapy and medications to acupuncture and massage. In some cases, though, pain is incapacitating, and more aggressive treatment is needed. While injection treatments may help back pain and sciatica, only a few of these procedures are used for osteoarthritis or inflammatory forms of arthritis.
Injections for back pain are used to deliver anti-inflammatory pain relief medication locally, right to the affected area. Patients who continue to need pain management even after surgery for back pain or sciatica may get relief from an implanted device.
There are many different underlying causes for back pain, and there are different injections which address these possible causes, says Robert S. Griffin, MD, PhD, a pain physician at New Yorks Hospital for Special Surgery.
Doctors may try several different types of injections for back pain, beginning with the most conservative treatment. The best approach for you will depend on your particular problem.
All of these procedures can be helpful for patients with the relevant type of back pain and can be useful in patients who vary across age and gender, Dr. Griffin explains.
He adds that neuromodulation systems is a promising new treatment that may be useful for people with localized neuropathic pain, such as complex regional pain syndrome.
INJECTIONS
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Steroids Shots Have Risks
Harmful side effects of cortisone injections are uncommon, but they do happen. The main risk is infection, which occurs less than 1% of the time. Less commonly, the needle could injure a nerve or blood vessel.
Having too many injections in the same target area can cause nearby tissues, such as joint cartilage, to break down. Corticosteroids can also cause skin at the injection site or the soft tissue beneath it to thin. This is why it’s recommended to limit the number of cortisone injections to three or four per year at any body region treated.
Stem Cell Therapies For Back And Neck Pain
Regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies are the cutting edge when it comes to dealing with low back and neck pain, as well as joint pain and musculoskeletal conditions. These treatments are still emerging and being evaluated in many areas, and should be considered experimental, as they are not yet FDA approved. When utilized for the proper p
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that haven’t yet been put to a specific purpose. They may become another type of cell in the future, but in their current state they merely have potential. This, combined with their ability to repair other cells, gives them the potential to repair other damaged part of the body and take on an important role in pain management.
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What Does The Procedure Involve
An epidural injection usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. Your doctor will usually use an x-ray machine to guide them and confirm the needle position while they give the injection.
Your doctor will carefully insert the needle for the epidural injection.
The healthcare team will monitor you closely during and after the injection.
Why Doctors Recommend Injections For Back Pain
Back pain management often requires a combination of therapies to treat current pain and help prevent future discomfort. Back injections are often part of a comprehensive treatment plan to relieve pain.
Sometimes people get various injections in their back, whether its epidural or joint injections. Sometimes they get trigger point injections, said Khalid Kurtom, MD, FAANS, FACS. There are various methods, and they all can be undertaken simultaneously its usually a multi-modality approach to treating these conditions.
Back injections reduce inflammation, a persistent cause of pain. They can also reduce pain caused by inflamed or damaged nerves through therapeutic injections. Sometimes diagnostic injections help find the underlying cause of back pain so doctors can identify proper treatment.
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How Does A Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Work
Healthcare providers may recommend lumbar epidural steroid injections for chronic pain management. Your provider injects a steroid or corticosteroid medication into the epidural space by your spinal cord in your low back.
The lower back region of your spine is called the lumbar spine. This region is made up of five vertebrae, and these vertebrae are the largest of the other vertebrae in your spine. They extend from your lower thoracic spine to your sacrum .
Your vertebrae are the 33 individual, interlocking bones that form your spinal column, which runs from the base of your brain to your tailbone. These bones help protect your spinal cord from injury while allowing you to twist and turn. Between the vertebral bones are disks that provide cushioning for your vertebrae and flexibility for you.
The five vertebrae in your lumbar spine are named lumbar 1 through lumbar 5 from top to bottom. The lumbar vertebrae have several important roles, including:
- Supporting and stabilizing your upper body.
- Allowing twisting and bending movements.
- Protecting your spinal cord and cauda equina .
Your spinal cord is a very important bundle of nerves that runs from your brain to your low back. Your spinal cord acts like a highway that connects the nerves located all over your body to your brain so that your brain can communicate with the rest of your body.
Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
This type of injection is not actually given in the back, but rather in the neck. During the procedure, the needle will be used to access the epidural space, with fluoroscopic guidance. The steroid here will be used to reduce inflammation and to provide relief for the patient, allowing improved pain level, activity and function.
This type of injection is used to treat pain in the shoulders, neck, and arms that tend to be caused by either a compressed nerve or multiple compressed nerves in the upper spine. The pain here can actually come from issues like herniated discs or from spinal stenosis, and providing relief for the pain can be a life-changing process. As with the other types of injections, there is a waiting period between the injection itself and pain relief – generally up to a week, as the steroid goes to work reducing inflammation.
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Sedatives And/or Anesthetic May Be Used
If necessary, a relaxation medication may be given through an intravenous line in the patients arm, but the patient is usually conscious during this procedure. The treatment area in the lower back is numbed with a local anesthetic injection before the epidural is given, so the epidural injection procedure is usually painless.
An epidural steroid injection procedure may take about 30 minutes to administer. A tingling or mild burning sensation, or the feeling of pressure may be experienced as the medication enters the epidural space. When the injection is completed, the irritation and discomfort usually disappear within a few minutes. Patients typically return home after a few hours. Specific post-injection precautions are followed over the next few days.
Why Might I Need A Thoracic Epidural Injection
If you have middle or upper back pain, your healthcare provider may first suggest other treatments. These include pain medicine and physical therapy. If these treatments dont work, a thoracic epidural injection might make sense for you. It may be best if you have had moderate to severe pain for at least three months.
A thoracic epidural injection may provide pain relief for several different types of back problems, like:
-
Injuries causing irritation of the spinal nerves
-
Thoracic disc herniation with pain radiating into your back or arm
-
Thoracic post-surgical spine syndrome
-
Thoracic spinal stenosis
The shot may reduce swelling around the spinal nerve roots. It can help ease your pain in the area for weeks to months.
Healthcare providers may sometimes use this type of shot to help find the source of back pain. In that case, you might receive a shot of pain medicine. If you feel instant relief, it can help your healthcare provider confirm the source of your pain.
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Aftercare For Epidural Injection
Your doctor or nurses will take you to a recovery room after the procedure. The nursing staff will monitor you for a short time before you’re able to leave. Sometimes, theyll ask you to lie flat for around 30 minutes or so. They may check your blood pressure or pulse, and ask if you’re experiencing any side-effects. The nursing staff looking after you will make sure that you can stand up when you feel ready.
You’ll usually be able to go home within a few hours after your injection, and sometimes much sooner. But youll need somebody to drive you home you won’t be able to drive yourself. Ideally, you should also have someone stay with you for your first night at home after your procedure.
It can take several days to feel any effects from the injection. In fact, some people find that their pain gets worse at first. This should settle down within a few days. Try to keep as active as you can, and as your pain improves, you can gradually increase how much you do.
