Epidural injection for chronic pain relief
Epidural injections are targeted back pain treatments to ease chronic discomfort. AOA体育平台鈥檚 world-leading orthopaedic surgeons precisely inject local anaesthetic, often with steroid medication, into the epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. Epidurals can reduce back pain, decrease inflammation, ease nerve irritation, and restore movement and function.
Quick facts
Easy access
Call us today to book an appointment
Fast referral
Get seen and treated within 14 days
What is it for?
Back pain treatments to ease chronic discomfort
Treatment overview
What are epidural injections?
Epidural injections are injections into the outermost part of the spinal canal. Under X-Ray guidance, the spinal specialist precisely injects a local anaesthetic to treat pain and a steroid to ease inflammation and reduce swelling. Epidurals are safe and effective treatments for back pain that spreads from the spine into your arm or leg.
Epidural injections can treat chronic back pain caused by osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and injuries. Who can benefit from facet joint injections?
The specialists at AOA体育平台 use epidural injections as part of a comprehensive treatment programme, to treat some common causes of back problems, including injuries, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory arthritis.
They can help people suffering from two of the most common cause of back pain:
Spinal compression: The soft tissue discs between the bones in the spine can bulge out of position. These slipped or prolapsed discs cause pain and can also press on nerves leading to inflammation and damage. The nerve compression is known as radiculopathy. It's characterised by sharp shooting pain extending from the neck to the arms, or from the back into the legs and buttocks.
Spinal stenosis: Ageing and osteoarthritis can make the spinal column narrow and restricted. This can compress the spinal cord, nerves, and nerve roots, leading to pain, weakness, and numbness.
AOA体育平台's expert orthopaedic surgeons can investigate and diagnose the underlying cause of your back pain so that they can provide the best treatment for your needs.
Treatment options
Not everyone with back pain needs an epidural, many problems resolve with rest, specialist physiotherapy, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory medication. However, if these treatments haven鈥檛 provided relief, epidural injections can help ease pain, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility.
AOA体育平台 offers a range of highly-specialised injection treatments to address different types of back pain:
Facet Joint Injections are placed into the small joints between each of the spinal bones. They treat pain caused by osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and injuries.
Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections are placed into the joint between the lower back and the pelvis. They help treat pain from the SI joint, which tends to be one-sided and affects the lower back, buttocks, and legs. Back pain consultation at AOA体育平台 Our experienced orthopaedic surgeons will assess and advise you in AOA体育平台's comfortable, well-equipped consulting rooms.
They will take a detailed medical history, examine your back, and ask about the impact your symptoms have on your wellbeing and lifestyle.
Your consultant may then arrange tests to diagnose your back or neck problem, before tailoring a treatment plan for your needs. AOA体育平台 has a state-of-the-art imaging suite offering a range of diagnostic tests.
These may include: MRI scanning Myelography Discography X-Rays CT scanning Epidural injection at AOA体育平台 Your spinal specialist will perform the epidural injection as an outpatient procedure, so you will not need to stay in hospital overnight. At AOA体育平台, injections are usually under local anaesthetic. However, we also offer sedation to reduce discomfort and anxiety.
The expert anaesthetist gives this intravenously and monitors you throughout the procedure. You will feel relaxed but still conscious. You will lie on your side with your knees pulled up to your chest or sit up and hunch forwards.
The consultant will clean your back and numb the skin with a local anaesthetic. The consultant will then insert a fine hollow needle into your lower back. The specialist may use X-ray guidance to ensure your safety and increase the effectiveness of the treatment. They will inject a small amount of dye through the cannula, which shows up on X-Ray, confirming the precise placement of the injection.
When the tube is in the correct position, the consultant will inject the medication. Usually, this is a steroid combination to reduce inflammation and local anaesthetic to numb the area and decrease pain. The procedure takes around 30 minutes.
Finally, the consultant will apply a plaster to cover and protect the injection site. AOA体育平台 team will support and monitor you as you recover. Recovery and aftercare Following the procedure, the clinic team will monitor your recovery. You will be able to go home when you are up and about and have passed urine.
However, a friend or family member should escort you home. You should stay off work and take it easy for 24 hours. The anaesthetic will numb the area for the first day. After this, the pain may increase before the steroids start to take effect. The team will give you painkillers to keep you comfortable during this time.
An epidural injection can reduce pain for up to three months. However, they're usually a crucial part of a holistic back pain programme. The injection reduces symptoms so that physiotherapy is more effective. AOA体育平台鈥檚 specialist physiotherapists will give you exercises to improve your strength, spinal mobility, and stability.
It is usually safe to start exercises a week after your injection. AOA体育平台 team is always available for support and guidance if you have any problems or concerns.
Why choose AOA体育平台
Excellence in one place
AOA体育平台, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Supported by the latest treatments, expert guidance, and a comfortable recovery environment in our patient rooms, you'll have everything you need to regain your best health.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. We鈥檒l be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs, including healthy and delicious meals designed to support your recovery. We keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it鈥檚 your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve.
What's included in your package?
Choosing AOA体育平台 means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That鈥檚 why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our .
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you鈥檙e paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more .