Spinal epidural injections are done for ‘Sciatica’
Sciatica is a nerve pain going down from the back to one or rarely both legs. It is usually due a displaced disc in the ‘pressing’ on the roots of the main nerve going down to the leg. The chemicals in the disc causes an inflammation on the nerve root causing severe pain.
The pain usually gets better in due course. The displaced disc loses water and shrivels taking the pressure off the nerve and the chemical inflammation calms down. It can 6 to 18 months to get better. (Rarely the nerves to bladder are affected and this requires emergency treatment.)
Injection of steroids into the space outside the spinal cord acts as an anti-inflammatory and calms the inflammation and pain while natural cure occurs. It helps pain and helps the person to function during this period.
ST LUKE’S SURGICAL SERVICES 