Spinal Injections Treatments
Spinal injections can be used to alleviate symptoms and to help make a diagnosis. Typically an injection is administered to a specific area that is causing symptoms. The needle is precisely placed with the aid of medical imaging, such as ultrasound, x-ray or CT.
Fluoroscopy is the use of low dose X-ray for targeted injections such as in epidurals, dorsal root ganglion blocks, facet joint injections, and hip joint injections. Procedures which normally would have to take place in hospital can be achieved in a more relaxed setting without the need for general anaesthesia. All of the procedures carried out take no longer than 45 minutes and are with a nurse in attendance. Although complications during the procedure are extremely rare, both your doctor and the nurse are trained in immediate life support should any complications arise. Download our spinal Injection Patient info sheet (PDF)
Also called Selective Nerve Root Block and Transforaminal Epidural. If the standard route approach, ie, epidural steroid injection does not provide adequate relief or is inappropriate in sciatic or cervical nerve root entrapment, then a Dorsal Root Ganglion Block can be performed under X-ray control delivering the anti-inflammatory medicine direct to the source of irritation around the spinal nerve providing excellent pain relief.
Epidural injections are beneficial for both sciatica and back pain caused by spinal disc lesions. The solution (a mixture of local anaesthetic or normal saline and corticosteroid) bathes the inflamed spinal cord and nerve structures with anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce swelling and pain. There is no clear evidence of any long term complication from epidural steroids. Your doctor can use two different routes to reach the spinal cord and nerve structures – the caudal or lumbar route.
The facet joints are a common source of pain in the neck and lower back after ‘whiplash’ injury and in the elderly due to arthritis. The pain can often be relieved by a small dose of corticosteroid into the offending joints. Alternatively and in those patients that cannot have a corticosteroid solution injected into them, a course of Ostenil can be used.
(In lumber and sacroiliac instability, discogenic pain, whiplash injury, and recurrent ankle sprain) Ligaments help to provide stability in the joints. Sometimes ligaments can be overstretched, or even torn. The ligament may then not control the joint adequately – thus leading to ‘instability’ which may put abnormal stresses on the joints. Sclerosant injections (Prolotherapy) work by stimulating the body to make new fibres which are laid down within the substance of the ligaments, thickening and strengthening them. Each ligament has to be stimulated 3 or 4 times at intervals of a week, in order to produce sound fibrous development. Hence the injections are given as a course of treatment.
Botulinum Toxin Type A Injections can be used to treat abnormal muscle tightness. This muscle tightness, also known as spasticity, can cause difficulty with movement, spasm and fatigue.
These injections may involve between 5-10 injections in one sitting and, if required, may take place as a course approximately 12 weeks apart.
Botulinum Toxin Injections Patient Leaflet (click to download)