Anyone ever had a cortisone injection to the spine?

[Chicken_Hunter]

I have been diagnosed with a disc bulge and annular tear of my L5/S1 disc which is impinging on the S1 nerve root. Basically my feet are numb, my ass is numb, my balls are numb and i get electrical sensations down my legs when I bend my neck.

Saw the specialist today he said a good old epidural and cortisone injection should fix it.

So my question is, has anyone ever had this procedure done? And what was it like pain wise? And did it work?

I am a bit nervous getting needles into my spine, I know its pretty safe, but still..

 

[Hooch]

Ask the radiologist how many times they've done it and if they've hit a nerve, and make sure it's under guidance (I think it's a fluoroscope or cat scan guidance or the like).

If you're not happy with the answer to either question find a new radiologist.

Probably a good time to get second opinions over the coming months and get your healh insurance and finances sorted for possible surgery. If you don't have cover you can sign up and declare the condition and will be covered after a year.

Be aware that if you maintain sort of constant numbness and other nerve symptoms the damage can become permanent if it's left for a certain amount of time (a year would probably enough). Luckily surgeons tend to take nerve impingement seriously and you should have access to treatment.

The concern is you get left with a dipshit surgeon who minimises you're symptoms or misdiagnoses you, but as I said they all tend to take impingement seriously.

If you have surgery get a decent surgeon, when these things go bad it is a living nightmare.

Good luck.

 

[shaggs]

Mate, the steroid injection is not a cure, but an aid to assist your body to heal.
It is performed under CT guidance. There is a number of injections you can have.
Facet joint - into the joint at a certain level
Periradicular or lateral recess - this injection goes next to the nerve sheath where the nerve exits the spinal column.
Targeted epidural. - this one goes into the epidural space at the level indicated by your MRI. The needle rip is put into a small triangle of fat. The steroid will then be injected which coats numerous nerves.
Causal epidural. - this one goes into a small gap in the sacrum.where the needle is then passed into the epidural space.

In ant case you will be lying prone, CT scans will be done to localise the area, skin is cleaned, local anesthetic injected into skin and the spinal needle directed to the correct spot. CT scans are taken to check the needle placement. Steroid and anaesthetic are injected.

The anesthetic gives tempoart relief, and the steroid may take 3 days to work.

This procedure does nit work for everyone and levels of releif is varied depending on how tour body takes to the steroids anti inflammatory properties.

PM me if you want some more info.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Sweet thanks,

I dont need to worry about health funds or anything, everything is free for me because I am in defence.

I think I am having the targeted epidural. Maybe. Wish I could do it under a neurolept though.

I saw an ortho who specialises in spinal, He said to me that the disc will eventually petrify and harden. The cortisone will reduce the inflammation and therefore reduce pain and discomfort.

He has also put me on Endep 10mg, which you guys will know is a Tricyclic anti-depressant but also does something to nerve pathways. He said people have good results with it for this kind of thing.

I am not in pain, I know its there, I can go to the gym and squat, deadlift etc. The numbness is kinda wierd though.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Had this done today, was nervous going into it but all in all it wasnt too bad.

They injected a local anaesthetic into my epidural space then injected dye into my L5/S1 to make sure they had the right spot under a CT. They then injected the cortisone, this was the worst part, even though my back was numb it felt like a big heavy lead weight was pushing down into my ass.

A few hours on and the local has my my ass completely numb and I cant feel my penis, if only the mrs were home, I would be able to last for hours!

Will be a few days until I see if the cortisone worked.

 

[shaggs]

Sounds like it all went well. Exactly how we do ot at work.

If you get up tomorrow feeling worse, that isn't abnormal. Depending on how you react to the steroid, we advise people to give it least 5 days for the steroid to work.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

so almost a year after the injection my feet/legs/ass/scrotum/abdominal areas are all numb.

this leads me to believe that not only is my L5/S1 disc is playing up again but i might have done something to a thoracic disc, because this numbness from my lower rib cage down is new, also starting to get numb finger tips... so ghey