How many epidural injections can you have

These are usually self-limited and resolve within one to three days. A less common side effect is headache. Your doctor will give you specific instructions and these will vary by facility and type of epidural lumbar, thoracic or cervical. Because the procedure is usually performed with local anesthetic, fasting guidelines are not overly prohibitive. A local anesthetic is injected into the skin, numbing the area where the epidural needle is then placed.

Patients may experience mild discomfort but should not experience severe pain during the procedure. The procedure can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes and requires the patient to lie prone, if possible, to allow for X-ray guidance fluoroscopy. After the procedure, you can sit, stand, and walk as usual after a short period of monitoring.

Epidural steroid injections at HSS are performed by several types of doctors — pain management physicians , physiatrists and interventional radiologists — all of whom are trained to safely perform this procedure, often with additional subspecialty fellowship training.

What are epidural steroid injections? What are epidural corticosteroid injections used for? Who can benefit from an epidural steroid injection? How do epidural corticosteroid injections work?

How often can you get epidural steroid injections? Usually, the immediate effect is from the local anesthetic injected.

This wears off in a few hours. The steroid starts working in about days and its effect can last for several days to a reasonably long time. The typical series of injections is for about three, spaced about two weeks apart. You should expect a gradual overall improvement in pain after each injection.

However, if the pain is gone after an injection, you would not need another injection unless some or all of the pain comes back. Your doctor may also help advise you about this. After the first series of three injections, you would need to wait at least 6 months to a year before you could have more.

It is very difficult to predict how helpful injections will be. Overall, this procedure has very few risks. However, as with any procedure, there are some risks and side effects you should know about. Side effects of the injected steroid are generally temporary and may include feeling sweaty and red faced for a few days, temporary weight gain, a short term increase in blood sugar mainly in diabetics if you take medication for diabetes your doctor may need to advise you about medication adjustment, you can discuss the steroid medication more completely when you come in for the procedure.

The following patients should not have this injection: if you are allergic to any of the medications to be injected, if you are on a blood-thinning medication e. Coumadin, injectable Heparin , or if you have an active infection going on. Anti-platelet drugs like Plavix may have to be stopped for days prior to the procedure. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.

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This content does not have an English version. Many people get several months of improvement of pain and function from the injections. If the injection is effective, it can be repeated. If you have any side effects, be sure to contact your healthcare provider.

If you don't have pain relief, talk with your healthcare provider. This may be a sign that the pain is coming from some place other than the spinal nerves. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Sometimes pain relief is short term.

Other times the benefits continue for some time.