Chronic back pain is no joke. It can be tough to describe, but those who suffer from back pain know that affects every aspect of life. It affects how you sleep, how you walk, if you can even exercise. It;s easy to fall into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle. Everything Hurts Too Much. This can lead to weight gain and loss of muscle mass which can compound the problem.

If you suffer from chronic back pain, surgery is not your only option. There are injections that can help to alleviate the pain without the long recovery time associated with surgery.

Here are a few:

Epidural Steroid Injections

This is the most common of the chronic back pain injections. In an epidural injection, the physician injects directly into the dura sac, the sac around the nerve roots where you find the cerebrospinal fluid. This markedly reduces inflammation and can have a flushing effect, getting rid of proteins that cause inflammation.

This is procedure is commonly used for those with spinal stenosis, disc herniation or degenerative disc disease.

Selective Nerve Root Block

Nerve roots occasionally become compressed and inflamed. This can cause moderate to severe lower back and/or leg pain. An SNRB can ease the pain associated with a compressed nerve, as well as help the doctor isolate which nerve is causing the pain in the first place.

An SNRB is performed at the foramen level, the area between the vertebral bodies. The injection involves a steroid, lidocaine and a live X-ray (this is to make sure the injection is delivered to the correct area). If the pain is reduced or eliminated, that means the that the root targeted is the specific root causing the pain.

Facet Rhizotomy

A facet rhizotomy works by disabling the nerve that is sending pain signals to the brain. In a facet rhizotomy, a needle and probe are inserted just outside the facet joint. Radio waves then heat the probe and the heated probe is applied to the nerve to disable it. Once the nerve is deadened, the pain should cease.

Sacroiliac Joint Block

Sacroiliac Joint Blocks are performed for a specific issues associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. With the use of a live X-ray guidance the surgeon inserts a needle into the SI joint and injects lidocaine and a steroid. This is not an easy procedure and requires the skills of an expert surgery.

In order for this procedure to be successful, the patient must follow a post-procedure physical therapy and chiropractic treatment plan.

Experiencing chronic back pain? Call Outpatient Services East at 205-838-3888 to schedule a consultation. We  are happy to help in a