Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection
What is a Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection?
This outpatient procedure is an injection performed to relieve pain in the upper back.
The patient sits or lies down to expose the back. The back is cleaned and sterilized, and a local anesthetic is administered to numb the tissue of the injection site down to the spinal column.
The physician at Pain MD Houston uses an x-ray device called a fluoroscope to guide a needle down to the vertebra that is causing the pain. The needle is carefully pushed into the epidural space, which is the area surrounding the spinal cord. A contrast solution is injected to confirm the needle’s position.
The Pain MD Houston physician injects a steroid-anesthetic mix into the epidural space, bathing the painful areas with soothing medication. The mixture will help reduce inflammation and reduce pain.
The needle is removed, and the injection site may be covered with a small bandage. Extended pain relief usually begins within three to five days of the injection. In some cases it may be necessary to repeat the procedure as many as three times to get the full benefit of the medication. However, many patients get significant relief from only one or two injections.
You Have Options
We have seen that a number of clinics focus on one or two modalities for treatment. The problem is that pain is neurological and that means “it’s complex”. There are a wide variety of therapies, products, at-home activities, procedures and medicines that can be used and we believe there’s a place for all. Determining which (or combination thereof) is right for you is a process for you and your Pain MD to work together on.
Those could be laser ablation, spinal cord stimulation, Ketamine infusions, Platelet Rich Plasma, Steroid injections, Stem cell therapy, Botox, trigger point injections and much more!
Laser Ablation
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Sacral Nerve Stimulation
Peripheral Field Stimulation
Superion/Vertiflex Interspinous Spacer
Ketamine for Pain & Depression
Facet Joint Injection
Pulsed Radio Frequency Ablation
Platelet Rich Plasma Injections
Stem Cell BMAC
Ultrasound Guided Joint, Ligament or Tendon Injection
Sacroiliac Joint Injection
Amniotic Stem Cell and Wharton’s Jelly
Epidural Steroid Injection
Diagnostic Facet Block/Medial Branch Block
Diagnostic Selective Nerve Root Block
Knee, Hip & Shoulder Ablations
Botox for Migraines and Dystonia
Trigger Point Injections
Discogram Diagnostics
Kyphoplasty Surgical Procedure
Spinal Disc Decompression
And Much, Much More!