Epidural For Back Pain Relief
The term epidural is short for epidural anesthesia, during which drugs are applied with a catheter in the area of the back near the spinal cord. These drugs mask the nerve endings near the spine, either causing numbness or loss of pain. It is administered by a trained anesthetist with the patient either lying on their side or sitting up. The patient is usually asked to assume an arched position, not unlike the posture of an angry cat. An epidural for back pain can be used before, during or after surgery, or during childbirth as stated above.
Epidural for back pain have been used for low back problems since 1952 and are still an integral part of the non-surgical management of low back pain and sciatica. Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment option for many forms of low back pain and leg pain. The goal of the injection is pain relief; at times the injection alone is sufficient to provide relief, but commonly an epidural steroid injection is used in combination with a comprehensive rehabilitation program to provide additional benefit.
When you experience back pain, you typically find that most of your activities are limited. Back pain, for instance, is the leading cause of disability in people under 45. Many people have found relief from their back pain with an epidural administered by a professional. Epidurals are usually used during childbirth to relieve the pain associated with having a baby. However, epidurals can be used to help with any kind of back pain.
Epidural For Back Pain--Potential Side Effects
Although many studies document the short-term benefits of epidural steroid injections, the data on long-term effectiveness are less convincing. Indeed, the effectiveness of lumbar epidural steroid injections continues to be a topic of debate. This is accentuated by the lack of properly performed studies.
It should be noted that there could be side effects associated with epidurals for back pain. For example, the epidural for back pain can block other nerves as well, leaving the patient numb in other areas besides the back. Epidurals have also shown to affect blood pressure in some people. Your anesthetist should monitor you closely to determine whether or not the epidural for back pain is working as it should.
Although rare, there have been patients who had a bad reaction to an epidural for back pain. The epidural can damage a nerve, for example, although this is extremely rare. Some patients have gotten sick from the procedure and some have died. Your anesthetist is trained to look out for these sorts of things, so you should feel confident in knowing that you’re in no danger. The epidural for back pain can numb you so that you are no longer suffering, and that’s what you should be focused on.
Before you accept an epidural for back pain, however, make sure you know all the risks and make sure you ask plenty of questions. You should also tell your anesthetist if you have any type of blood disorder, infection, or if you’re allergic to any kinds of drugs. By providing this information before hand, you can ensure that there will be no complications when your epidural for back pain is finally administered.
Epidural For Back Pain Relief Success Rates
Epidural steroid injection success ratesWhile the effects of an epidural steroid injection tend to be temporary (lasting from a week to up to a year) an epidural steroid injection can deliver substantial benefits for many patients experiencing low back pain.
Success rates will vary depending on the condition that the patient has and the degree of radicular leg pain that accompanies it.
Recent research reports that lumbar epidural steroid injections for back pain are successful in patients with persistent sciatica from lumbar disc herniation, with more than 80% of the injected group with disc herniation experiencing relief {in contrast to 48% of the group that received a saline placebo injection.}
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