Which Epidural Spinal Injection Is Right For You?

For patients who are struggling to be as active as they’d like because of nagging spinal pain, an epidural spinal injection can make a world of difference. As you can imagine, there are a few different types of epidural spinal injections, so how do you know which one would be right for you? In today’s blog, we put a spotlight on the three types of epidural spinal injections so you can learn which could be right for your back pain issue.

Three Types Of Epidural Spinal Injections

As we noted above, there are three main types of epidural spinal injections – interlaminar, transforaminal and the caudal epidural. We’ll dive deeper into each of these injections, but remember that a spinal injection is not meant to be a stand-alone option. A spinal injection will help to numb a painful nerve, but it’s not going to address what’s really causing the dysfunction with the nerve. Perhaps it’s a biomechanical issue or the nerve is being compressed by a shifted spinal disc. An injection isn’t going to resolve these underlying problems, so the effects of the shot will fade if you don’t pursue active interventions in conjunction with the injection. Consult with your surgeon for individualized advice, but expect to be given some physical therapy or stretching exercises to perform once the effects of the epidural injection have set in.

With that said, let’s take a closer look at the three types of epidural spinal injections:

• Interlaminar Epidural Injection – An interlaminar epidural injection is perhaps the most versatile of the three types of epidural injections. The surgeon injects the steroid and anesthetic into the space between the laminae of the vertebrae. Oftentimes they are used to treat patients battling radiating nerve pain or discomfort that is caused by prolonged inflammation in an area. It can make physical therapy and movement more comfortable for patients dealing with spinal conditions like a bulging disc, a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or posture-related alignment issues.
• Transforaminal Epidural Injection – A transforaminal epidural injection is delivered a bit differently than an interlaminar injection. A transforaminal epidural injection is positioned into the space around the nerve roots as they exit the spine in a location called the neuroforamen. When patients need extra help overcoming sciatic nerve pain, it’s the transforaminal injection that they’ll often turn to.
• Caudal Epidural Injection – Caudal epidural injections are delivered towards the base of your spine, just above your coccyx, with the goal of targeting problems causing low back pain. It’s also helpful in the event that pain and symptoms have spread to your legs. Patients dealing with radiculopathy, lumbar spinal stenosis or a disc issue in their lower spine could benefit from a caudal epidural injection.

Although your spine specialist will go over a specific plan with you, most patients can expect to be discharged from the medical center on the same day they receive the injection, although they will likely need someone else to drive them home. Perhaps the best aspect of these injections is that relief is near-instantaneous, meaning you won’t have to wait long to notice an improvement in your spine symptoms. Just remember, the effects won’t last forever, so take advantage of the opportunity they provide and pursue other helpful movement-based treatments.

Contact a Minnesota Spine Surgeon

Dr. Sinicropi has delivered all of these injections to patients in the past, and he’s confident he can find the right injection for you if that’s the route you decide to go. To learn more about each injection, or to get to the bottom of your back pain issue, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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