Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) for Chronic Pain Relief in Louisville
If you’re struggling with chronic pain radiating from your spine, an Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) is a highly effective, non-surgical treatment that can provide significant relief. At Kentuckiana Pain Specialists, our board-certified physicians use this proven procedure to target inflammation at its source, helping patients in Louisville reduce pain and improve their quality of life.
What is an Epidural Steroid Injection and How Does It Work?
An Epidural Steroid Injection is a minimally invasive procedure that delivers a potent anti-inflammatory medication directly into the epidural space around your spinal nerves. This is the area where inflamed or “pinched” nerves can cause pain in your back, neck, arms, or legs. The steroid coats the irritated nerves, reducing swelling and pressure to interrupt the pain signals being sent to your brain.
Conditions We Treat with Epidural Steroid Injections
ESI is a versatile treatment that can be effective for a number of conditions caused by nerve inflammation, including:
- Sciatica: Sharp pain that travels down the leg from the lower back.
- Herniated or Bulging Discs: When the soft center of a spinal disc pushes out and presses on a nerve.
- Spinal Stenosis: A narrowing of the spinal canal that can compress nerves.
- Degenerative Disc Disease: The breakdown of spinal discs over time, leading to pain and inflammation.
- Spondylolisthesis: When one vertebra slips forward over another, pinching a nerve.
The ESI Procedure: What to Expect Step-by-Step
We want you to feel comfortable and informed. Here is what you can expect during your procedure:
- Positioning: You will lie comfortably on an X-ray table.
- Numbing the Area: We will clean the injection site and apply a local anesthetic to numb the skin, ensuring minimal discomfort.
- Precision Guidance: Using live X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy), your doctor will carefully guide a thin needle into the epidural space, ensuring precise placement.
- Delivering Medication: A contrast dye is first injected to confirm the correct location, followed by the steroid medication.
- Completion: The needle is removed, and a small bandage is placed on the site. The entire procedure typically takes only 15-30 minutes.
We want you to feel comfortable and informed. Here is what you can expect during your procedure:
- Positioning: You will lie comfortably on an X-ray table.
- Numbing the Area: We will clean the injection site and apply a local anesthetic to numb the skin, ensuring minimal discomfort.
- Precision Guidance: Using live X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy), your doctor will carefully guide a thin needle into the epidural space, ensuring precise placement.
- Delivering Medication: A contrast dye is first injected to confirm the correct location, followed by the steroid medication.
- Completion: The needle is removed, and a small bandage is placed on the site. The entire procedure typically takes only 15-30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions About ESI
Patients typically feel a slight pressure, but the local anesthetic prevents significant pain during the procedure. You may have some mild soreness at the injection site afterward.
Some patients feel relief within a few hours, but it more commonly takes 2-7 days for the steroid to take full effect
The duration of relief varies from person to person, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to several months or even longer.
Side effects are rare but can include temporary soreness, a slight headache, or a “flushed” feeling. Your doctor will discuss all potential risks with you beforehand.
Why Choose Us for Your Epidural Steroid Injection?
Precision and expertise matter. Our pain management physicians are highly trained in interventional procedures and use state-of-the-art fluoroscopy for every injection. This ensures the medication is delivered to the exact source of your pain for the most effective outcome.