Spinal Injections

There are different types of injection given to patients suffering with a herniated disc. The purpose is to ease inflammation with a goal to provide pain relief.

The pain might be in the lower back or neck, or classically an injection can be given to try to ease leg pain (sciatica) or nerve pain in the arms.

An injection does not treat the disc herniation itself. Back pain and neck pain complex and there can be a variety of underlying causes which give rise to a condition.

The types of injection typically given are:

Nerve Root Block

An injection is given to block pain signals in the spinal nerves and involves injecting anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory steroid into the space around the nerve.

Epidural Injection

This is an injection into the space around the spinal cord where nerves can become inflamed and cause pain. The epidural space is the outermost part of the spinal canal. Steroid is injected to ease inflammation and may provide temporary or long lasting relief.

Facet Joint Injection

A disc herniation can lead to a reduction in the height of the intervertebral disc, rather like an underinflated bicycle tyre which bulges out loses some of its height. In this instance, the bones of the vertebrae called Facets which form a joint can become irritated and inflamed. The Facet Joint Injection can help to ease inflammation.

Summary

Spinal Injections are given when manual therapy alone has failed to elicit an adequate reduction in pain. They are intended to relieve inflammation so that with less pain, patients may enjoy better movement as part of a rehabilitation programme.

Injections on their own do not address the causes of a herniated disc. However some patients may benefit from spinal injections to achieve a degree of pain relief.

For patients with a disc herniation who have not responded to manual therapy alone, we prefer to use a course of IDD Therapy to decompress and mobilise the targeted spinal segment as part of a programme of conservative rehabilitation.