Epidural Steroid Injection

Red flag symptoms requiring immediate return to the doctor or emergency room: Fever, worsening redness, swelling, heat, and pain at the injection site Progressive weakness or numbness in the lower extremities Incontinence (urinary or fecal incontinence) Severe headache (relieved by lying down, worsened by sitting up; may be a puncture headache) Abnormal bleeding, large bruising Severely uncontrolled blood sugar or blood pressure

Do not stop taking the medication on your own! You must: have your doctor assess whether you need to stop taking the medication; determine how long you need to stop and whether “bridging therapy” is necessary; this is to ensure treatment safety and avoid the risk of bleeding or stroke.

Yes, but the following is necessary: Preoperative blood glucose assessment Intensive blood glucose monitoring for 48–72 hours post-surgery, as steroids may temporarily raise blood glucose levels.

It is recommended to take steroids once every 3–4 months, and no more than 3–4 times a year, to avoid steroid side effects (such as osteoporosis, elevated blood sugar, and decreased immunity).

Most of these procedures are outpatient surgeries. Patients can return home after a 15-30 minute observation period following the procedure and do not require hospitalization.

The pain relief usually begins to take effect 3–5 days after injection. The pain-relieving effect typically lasts for several weeks to several months. The duration of the effect depends on individual constitution, the severity of the cause, and the level of rehabilitation activity.

Before surgery, most patients may consider: Rehabilitation therapy Oral analgesics Interventional pain management (such as epidural ESI injection) These methods can temporarily relieve symptoms, improve quality of life, and buy time to monitor the condition.

Conventional pain-relieving injections: These typically use morphine or anti-inflammatory analgesics, administered via intramuscular injection or intravenous drip into the systemic circulation. Their effects last only a few hours and lack specificity. ESI injections: These inject the medication directly into the nerve compression site, providing more precise pain relief, which can often last for weeks to months. 👉 Note: ESI can control pain, but it cannot cure the underlying cause.

Under ultrasound or X-ray guidance, the doctor will precisely locate the inflamed nerve and inject the medication into the epidural space of the spine. The medication typically contains: Local anesthetic: provides immediate nerve paralysis and temporary pain relief (lasting approximately half a day to a day). Steroids: require 3–5 days to exert their anti-inflammatory effects and can prolong the pain relief, often lasting for weeks to months.