How Epidural Steroid Injections Alleviate Neck Pain

There's nothing quite as bothersome as neck pain. It can make the smallest tasks, such as getting dressed, painful and even impossible, but it's more than just a nuisance. Neck pain can also compromise your safety. For example, checking your blind spot while driving is difficult with chronic neck pain.

If you're struggling with persistent neck pain, epidural steroid injections might be the solution you need — and they're available here at International Spine, Pain & Performance Center in Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Virginia.

Please continue reading to learn more about how they work to alleviate your neck pain.

Learn more about epidural steroid injections

If the word “epidural” makes you think of childbirth, you’re not wrong. Epidural anesthesia is often given during labor, but the medications given in labor aren’t the same medication given in a steroid injection.

So why do these two procedures share the word “epidural”? The word epidural tells you where the medication is being administered. Your epidural space surrounds the spinal cord and the nerves that branch out to various parts of your body, including your neck.

For neck pain, epidural steroid injections involve injecting a corticosteroid medication into the epidural space of your cervical spine. (Unlike during childbirth, when you receive a strong anesthetic in the epidural space of your lower spine.) 

How cervical epidural steroid injections help with neck pain

Epidural steroid injections help alleviate neck pain in two ways. They:

Reduce inflammation

The corticosteroid medication used in the injection helps reduce inflammation around the nerves in your neck. Inflammation is often a significant contributor to pain, so decreasing it can provide substantial relief.

Block pain signals

The injection may also include a local anesthetic, which helps block pain signals from reaching your brain. This immediate relief can be a welcome break from chronic pain and give the steroid time to work its magic.

The bottom line is that epidural steroid injections offer a one-punch when it comes to pain relief: reduce the inflammation and decrease your pain.

What to expect during your epidural steroid injection

If epidural neck injections are right for you, our first step is to prepare the injection site. You'll be asked to lie down in a position that provides the best access to your cervical spine. The injection site is then cleaned and sterilized to prevent infection. You may also receive a local anesthetic.

Using fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray that provides real-time moving images), your International Spine, Pain & Performance Center provider locates the epidural space in your cervical spine and inserts a thin needle into the epidural space. Once the needle is in place, your medication is delivered where you need it most.

You might feel pressure, but the procedure is generally quick and well-tolerated.

What to expect after your injection

You may experience some soreness at the injection site, but this typically resolves within a day or two. Most people experience a reprieve in pain right away. 

In addition to epidural steroid injections, our team can also provide specific guidance based on your neck condition — whether you’re dealing with arthritis, herniated discs, or muscle strains — so you can get lasting relief.

Our team may also recommend dietary adjustments (such as following an anti-inflammatory diet), prescribe medication, or get you started with physical therapy.

To find out if an epidural steroid injection is right for you, click here to book an appointment in Washington, D.C., or Arlington, Virginia.  Or, simply call the location of your choice to get started.