Definition

A spinal corticosteroid injection puts steroid medicine in the epidural space around the spinal cord.

Reasons for Procedure

The procedure is done to:

• Ease pain and swelling around the spine and nerve roots
• Improve function for people with back pain, such as low back pain with sciatica

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

• Excess bleeding at the injection site
• Allergic reaction to the medicine used
• Infection
• Nerve injury

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

• Current infection
• The use of blood thinners
• Chronic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity

What to Expect

Description of the Procedure

You will lie on your side on an x-ray table. The doctor may inject a contrast dye. X-ray imaging will be used to guide the placement of the needle in the epidural space. The medicine will be injected. The needle will be removed. A small bandage may be placed over the site.

Corticosteroid Injection Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Call Your Doctor If Any of the Following Occur

Call the doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

• Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, bleeding, or discharge from the injection site
• Pain that you cannot control with medicine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sudden increase in weight of more than 5 pounds
• Shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Headache that worsens when you sit or stand and gets better when you lie down
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.