I have chronic back pain. I tried everything but nothing works. What about cortisone shots?
May 8, 2013
In many cases of chronic back pain spinal injections may be used both to find out what is causing your pain and to treat your pain. Doctors refer to these two separate uses of spinal injections as diagnostic and therapeutic. If an injection provides pain relief in the area that is injected, it is likely that this particular area is the source of the problem. Injections are also therapeutic in that they can provide temporary relief from pain
With most spinal injections, a local anesthetic (numbing medication) called lidocaine (also known as Xylocaine) is injected into a specific area of the spine. Bupivacaine (also known as Marcaine) is another type of anesthetic that can be used.cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory steroid medication. It is commonly injected along with a local anesthetic in order to reduce inflammation in the affected areas. Cortisone is long lasting and can be slow-releasing in order to give the best possible benefits of pain relief. Cortisone may not begin working for several days following the injection, but the effects can last for months. Sometimes a narcotic medication such as morphine or fentanyl is mixed with cortisone and the anesthetic to get increased pain relief.
When certain medical conditions are present, doctors may determine it is unsafe to perform a spinal injection. Your doctor will discuss any concerns with you before making a final decision.
General Contraindication
Bleeding Tendencies ,Infections,Unstable Medical Conditions
General Precautions
If you are chronically taking a platelet-inhibiting drug, such as aspirin or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), you have an increased risk of bleeding and might not be a candidate for a spinal injection.
If you are hypersensitive or have certain allergies to medications, you may have a negative reaction to the drugs used in the injection
If you have an accompanying medical illness, you should discuss the risks of spinal injections with your physician
With most spinal injections, a local anesthetic (numbing medication) called lidocaine (also known as Xylocaine) is injected into a specific area of the spine. Bupivacaine (also known as Marcaine) is another type of anesthetic that can be used.cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory steroid medication. It is commonly injected along with a local anesthetic in order to reduce inflammation in the affected areas. Cortisone is long lasting and can be slow-releasing in order to give the best possible benefits of pain relief. Cortisone may not begin working for several days following the injection, but the effects can last for months. Sometimes a narcotic medication such as morphine or fentanyl is mixed with cortisone and the anesthetic to get increased pain relief.
When certain medical conditions are present, doctors may determine it is unsafe to perform a spinal injection. Your doctor will discuss any concerns with you before making a final decision.
General Contraindication
Bleeding Tendencies ,Infections,Unstable Medical Conditions
General Precautions
If you are chronically taking a platelet-inhibiting drug, such as aspirin or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), you have an increased risk of bleeding and might not be a candidate for a spinal injection.
If you are hypersensitive or have certain allergies to medications, you may have a negative reaction to the drugs used in the injection
If you have an accompanying medical illness, you should discuss the risks of spinal injections with your physician
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