Living with chronic back or neck pain can make everyday activities, like sitting, driving, or sleeping, feel impossible. For many people, epidural steroid injections may offer a reduction in inflammation around irritated nerves in the spine.
This minimally invasive treatment can ease pain, improve mobility, and help patients return to their normal routines more comfortably. Learn more below about how epidural steroid injections work and what to expect from treatment.
What Are Epidural Steroid Injections?
ESIs deliver anti-inflammatory corticosteroids (such as betamethasone, dexamethasone, or methylprednisolone) and a local anesthetic directly into the epidural space of the spine. This targets inflamed or compressed nerves, addressing the root cause of pain. Using fluoroscopy, or real-time X-ray guidance, our specialists ensure precise medication delivery for optimal results.
ESIs are commonly used to treat conditions such as:
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Sciatica
- Radiculopathy
- Degenerative disc disease
- Foraminal stenosis
Key Benefits of Epidural Steroid Injections in Oklahoma City
Epidural steroid injections offer numerous advantages for patients dealing with chronic spine-related pain. Understanding these evidence-based benefits can help you make an informed decision about your treatment options.
- Significant Pain Relief: Studies show 50–80% of patients with sciatica from herniated discs experience at least 50% pain reduction, lasting weeks to a year. About 47% report similar relief within three weeks.
- Improved Mobility: By reducing inflammation, ESIs can help you move more freely and resume daily activities.
- Non-Surgical Option: ESIs may delay or eliminate the need for surgery, especially when combined with physical therapy.
- Reduced Medication Use: Many patients rely less on oral pain medications, minimizing side effects.
- Quick Recovery: Most patients resume normal activities within 1–2 days with minimal downtime.
- Proven Effectiveness: Up to 70% of patients with cervical radiculopathy report good to excellent results at six months.
These benefits make epidural steroid injections an attractive first-line treatment for many spine conditions. If epidural injections provide temporary relief but pain returns, we may recommend additional treatments, such as radiofrequency ablation, for longer-lasting results.
Types of Epidural Injections We Offer
At our Oklahoma City practice, we perform both interlaminar and transforaminal epidural steroid injections using state-of-the-art fluoroscopy guidance. Each approach has specific advantages depending on your condition and pain location.
Interlaminar epidural injections
Interlaminar epidural injections deliver corticosteroids into the epidural space via the spine’s posterior midline, spreading medication broadly to reduce inflammation. Ideal for spinal stenosis, they provide effective, wide-ranging pain relief across multiple nerve levels.
Transforaminal epidural injections
Transforaminal epidural injections target specific nerve roots by delivering corticosteroids through the foramen, ensuring precise medication placement. Perfect for herniated discs and radiculopathy, they offer pinpoint pain relief with high accuracy.
Our board-certified pain management doctors will determine which approach best suits your specific condition during your consultation. Using real-time fluoroscopy imaging ensures accurate needle placement and optimal medication delivery for the best possible outcomes.
Are ESIs Right for You?
While ESIs are effective for many, results vary based on individual factors like the underlying condition and overall health. Potential risks, though rare (less than 1%), include infection, bleeding, or temporary pain. During your consultation, our specialists will review your medical history, discuss benefits and risks, and recommend the best treatment plan for you.
Why Choose Our Oklahoma City Pain Management Practice
When you choose our practice for lumbar or cervical epidural injections in Oklahoma City, you receive comprehensive care that sets us apart from other providers. We’re one of the few pain practices in the Oklahoma City area that combines both medication management and interventional pain procedures under one roof. This means you won’t be referred elsewhere when you need advanced treatment.
Our in-office procedure rooms—equipped with state-of-the-art fluoroscopy technology—allow patients to avoid hospital visits, saving both time and cost. We stay current with cutting-edge techniques and technologies, offering procedures that many other practices don’t provide. Our comfortable atmosphere, flexible scheduling, and cost-effective approach make quality pain management accessible when you need it most.
Get Spinal Injection Pain Relief Today
Our trusted team provides ESI treatment in Oklahoma City for effective spinal injection pain relief. With four board-certified pain management doctors and comprehensive treatment options all under one roof, we’re ready to help you reclaim your life from chronic pain.
Don’t let back or neck pain control your daily activities any longer. Contact our pain management doctors at Comprehensive Spine and Pain to schedule your consultation and discover how epidural steroid injections can help you return to the activities you love.
Comprehensive Spine and Pain – Oklahoma City