What Having An Epidural Steroid Injection Houston Entails

By David Adams


An irritation especially one that occurs along the spinal nerves can be very uncomfortable. Such irritation is usually accompanied by a lot of pain which usually can result in a lot of discomfort. A common procedure done in order to treat this is usually by getting an epidural steroid injection Houston so as to sooth and gets rid of the pain.

There are many reasons that can result in one getting an epidural injection and they can vary from one person to another. Some of the reported causes include raptured disks within the spine, a deformity in the bones where one of the bones ends up protruding into the spinal cord and even bulging of the vertebral disks . The number of shots administered will however be determine how quickly the pains subsides after receiving the first shot.

The procedure for one to get an epidural injection is usually very simple and does not require one to undergo surgery as its known to be the fear of most people. The first step is injecting a local anesthesia that will prevent one from feeling intense pain when the injection is done to the spinal cord. After complete numbing on the area, the injection containing the epidural steroids is slowly injected into the spinal cord. Within after a few minutes one can comfortably walk home.

Although major complications have not been reported by people who have undergone the procedure, a few patients have ended up suffering from infections which usually result in meningitis, bleeding after the treatment and also in rare cases dural puncture. If one is suffering from previous illness, it can at times contribute to one being susceptible to complications after the treatment.

Side effects at times do appear after one gets the injection and vary depending on an individual. People who have undergone the procedure have reported anxiety, stomach ulcers, arthritis, and in patients who suffer from diabetes, a rise in blood pressure. X ray radiation that one is usually exposed to when the doctor is locating where to make the injection can at times results in allergies.

Incase one experiences this side effects and complications such as bleeding, they should immediately consult the doctor as spinal related complications can be life threatening and result in paralysis. In some situations even brain damage. Mild side effects such as a head aches can be treated by one getting enough rest usually in a sleeping position. Movements should be avoided while one is resting ensuring one is well hydrated during the whole process.

An epidural steroid injection is however not a procedure that you can just perform on your own. One usually requires a qualified doctor who will perform the procedure safely as the spinal cord is usually a very sensitive and a slight mistake such as injecting a steroid in the wrong region can at times be fatal.

Epidural steroid injections have provided a lot of relief to many people who were faced with a very uncomfortable life as a result of the constant pain they usually experienced along the spinal cord. The procedure is now being done on both the middle aged and the old in our society.




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