I've read several stories on here about people getting neck injuries, pinched nerves, etc. I'm curious to know if anyone has ever had a epidural steroid injection as a treatment method. If so, what were the results? I've had a pinched nerve for about a year now and have tried chiro and PT with no success.
Thanks
Depends of the cause,epidurals are good for only a few conditions
I think I suffered it from lifting weights. Doing too heavy of shrugs along with getting cranked in BJJ. It's a herniated disc b/t C3 and C4.
I heard it's kind of just a bandaid and not really a cure but my Dr. said otherwise. He said that the anti-inflamatory (cortizone) can cause the disc to recess and to stop pressing on the nerve. Just wondering if anyone has had that result if they've had this type of treatment.
Thanks
Baldilocks, my dad had 3 steroid injections over a year period maybe 6-8 years ago. It has helped him tremendously. He was in so much pain and the loss of mobility was terrible. The steroids really helped him.
Brett
I work doing physical therapy and see people regularly that have had epidural steroid injections as treatment. In my experience there are more cases where the person does not get better than where the person experiences positive results. However, on the other side of things I recently had epidural steroid injections for several bulging discs and have experienced a complete resolution of symptoms. I feel that the reason a lot of people don't experience positive results is because they are either given a treatment for which they are not appropriate or else the procedure is done incorrectly.
There are a few different ways that the treatment is administered. I had mine done under fluoroscopy and would reccomend that if you choose this course that you ABSOLUTELY insist on this procedure. It is a real time X-ray where-by the doctor can see exactly where the needle is placed in relation to the spine, and there is dye in the medication that shows on the X-ray so they can see EXACTLY where the medication is being administered.
There are a number of different things to consider here. First, is the injury appropriate for the proposed treatment. In your case specifically you mention having a pinched nerve. Does that mean that the nerve is being impinged by a bulging disc pressing the nerve root against a vertebrae or is it a malalignment of a vertebrae that is causing the problem. Injection therapy would be appropriate for the former, but of no use for the latter. Second is to realize that not all injections are cortizone (which is an antiinflammatory). Different medications have different purposes and you need to know why your doctor is choosing what they choose to determine if it's appropriate. Remember, as a patient it's your right to be informed about any treatment option you are considering. Third is to realize that if you've let an injury go on for over a year there is a good chance that the nerve has developed scarring along it's sheath and even if the treatment itself results in the disc being healed the pain may remain for a long time.
Best in Health and Training, J. R.
"There are a few different ways that the treatment is administered. I had mine done under fluoroscopy and would reccomend that if you choose this course that you ABSOLUTELY insist on this procedure. It is a real time X-ray where-by the doctor can see exactly where the needle is placed in relation to the spine, and there is dye in the medication that shows on the X-ray so they can see EXACTLY where the medication is being administered"
I like that. My dad had his done just by the doctor feeling his spine! But luckily it worked. I may have to have this done one day b/c my back hurts too much.
Brett
Exc. response, it is overused for a variety of conditions, steroids actually slow healing in all cases, but help inflammation
I heard cortizine shots just mask the symptons but hurt the healing process and sometimes damages joints.
not true
Thank you guys so much for taking the time to respond! The procedure will be under fluoroscopy and is cortizone. Also, the nerve is being impinged by a bulging disc pressing the nerve root against a vertebrae. Those two things look pretty good as far as my outcome is considered I think from what you (JRS) have said.
I had a test done to see if there is damage and there wasn't. Can't remember the name of the procedure but involved needles being probed and prodded down my neck and tri. Hurt like mofo and when I tapped the MD kept going:)
If anyone is reading this because they have had a similar injury, seek treatment immediately. One reason it's been a year for me is because I'm a workout fiend and have had a very difficult time taking off from lifting and BJJ. I feel that if I would have stopped immediately, I would have been healed by now. I had to just keep agravating because I'm hard headed.
Any other advice or stories about the steroid injection is appreciated.
Thanks guys!
JRS, Could you please give me your opinion on something. if possible. I'm scheduled to have an epidural in my thorasic region this week, in order to find out if my pain (stiffness, tightness, chronic pain) is coming from my facet joint, or joints) If it is, because this pain has been going on for over 2 years, then the Doctor said he could do RF Surgery, where they go in and heat up the bundle of nerves top stop the brain signal telling me i'm in pain. He said it would give me relief for a year or so, and i would possibly have to get it done again, but he said i could possibly continue to fight. The only thing that helps my pain is heat, and also when i get good and warmed up, (but even then my lower back starts to fatigue) Any advice would be much appreciated!! Note, My MRI's say their are no herniations, (just some arthritis in the lower back) Thank you, jason reinhardt
Baldilocks, First off bro, i wish you nothing but the best in your recovery. This is no fun to go through, i know. My advice to you whatever you do, do not let a Nuerosurgeon "Fuse" your cervical spine (your neck) If it would come to this check out DR. Stanton Schiffer in San Franscisco who does a special procedure called CED. "Cervical Endoscopic Discectomy" I had it done over 2 years, and my neck is decent with little pain. do a search on Google and type in Dr. Stanton Schiffer. Of course if you can avoid any type of surgery, this is always the best option, in my opinion. Good Luck, Jason Reinhardt. my email is sfcchamp135@aol, if you need to talk
Jason,
Thanks for the advice man. This is definitely one of the hardest things I've had to deal with (not training). My Dr. did not recommend the "fusion" surgery either. He didn't think it would go well with my hobbies. I will keep the CED in mind if the epidural doesn't work. Fortunately, I'm not in a terrible amount of pain. Just limited mobility (I have the C3PO (star wars) thing going on when I look left) with drastically decreased strength. Bench went from 360 to probably about 225 although I haven't done over 200 in a long while. I just don't have any pressing strenght on my affected side.
Good luck with your procedure too. Hope the best for ya.
Thanks!
reinhardt is correct bro- my buddie had the fuse done and it did not come out as planned - he is not a bjj guy but the surgery prohibited him from doing everday task be careful and do all the research you can before getting surgery- best of luck in your recovery
Baldilocks, Just take it slow man. Listen to the Docs. I didn't listen to them like i should have and went and faught and my shit herniated all the way through the "sack" You do not want this to happen. the pain is unbearable when that disc material attaches itself to your nerves. I'm not trying to scare you, because in all reality your probabably going to be just fine, especially if your not experiencing tremendous pai. Often times your body has a way of self-absorbing the disc material back in. (especially through physical therapy) Although i have mixed feeling on the neck traction. JRS would be one to ask about this. I don't have all the answers and i sure don't want to come across like some know it all, but i've been through it all and i'm just relaying everything i have learned over the last 2 years. Hope you remain pain free! jason
JRS, Can you please tell me if i have missed anything here. the last thing i want to do is give any bad advice, especially when it comes to a guys neck. Does everything i said, seem right? It's everything i have been told from my Doctors.
Neck injuries suck :o(
I've been out of action for about 3 months with a whiplash type injury I got from wrestling (shot a double and got sprawled on funny snapping my head back).
Nathan
ttt
Yeah, I bought the traction machine and have done it tons of times. At first it reduced some of the more severe pain i had but really failed in healing my neck. I bought the good machine too, not the over the door type one.
Thanks again for your help Jason. Hopefully this ESI will help.
Baldilocks,
Can you tell me what kind of traction machine you bought? I
have a similar injury at C6/C7 and my doctor suggested a
traction device.
Good luck with your treatment and I hope your neck gets
better soon! Let us know how the injections work out.