Hello. I'm middle aged man and I was perfectly healthy until few months back when I first started to suffer from really strong pains located in my neck and upper spine.
I used several pain medications and neck and back exercises but there was no long term relief.
I talk with my doctor about possible surgery but he told me that the localization of this slightly herniated disc is really touchy and that he would rather continue with this pain medication therapy. He suggested me that we could start with some cortisone injections in the neck. Is there anything I should know about these injections?
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Hello. I hade some experience with these types of injections and I will share my experience with you.
Cortisone injections are used in the treatment of many common orthopedic conditions and these injections work by decreasing inflammation of irritated tissues.
Cortisone is a steroid and you should know that steroids have gotten a bad reputation because of some really bad side effects that occurred in some people. Cervical (neck) epidural cortisone injections are a very specialized technique done in doctors office only by skilled and experienced anesthesiologists. You should also know that some cortisone injections can be painful but this is one of the most effective pain managements today.
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sybil wrote:
Hello, I need to know what was your side effects that occurred when you had the injection. I would like to know if anybody had some type occured. When I had the one and only epidural steriod injection in my neck I had some bad experience. I had very serve bad headeache that lasted several months and my lower back hurt. The doctor that did the procedure said that it had nothing to do with the injection. I went back to him 3 times and got the same answer ervery time. That was in Sept. 2005 and I still suffering today but it has gotten I little bit better with some medicine but never going to be the same. I just wish I could find somebody that had back pain or headeaches. So, if you know anybody that can help me please let me know or a doctor article that you might seen with these side effects.
Thanks
Hello. I hade some experience with these types of injections and I will share my experience with you.
Cortisone injections are used in the treatment of many common orthopedic conditions and these injections work by decreasing inflammation of irritated tissues.
Cortisone is a steroid and you should know that steroids have gotten a bad reputation because of some really bad side effects that occurred in some people. Cervical (neck) epidural cortisone injections are a very specialized technique done in doctors office only by skilled and experienced anesthesiologists. You should also know that some cortisone injections can be painful but this is one of the most effective pain managements today.
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sybil: I just had an epidural steroid injection in my neck due to 4 years of extreme debilitating headaches. I WAS told that I may experience some headaches for a few days due to the injection itself, but that did not happen. As a matter of fact, for the first time in 4 years, I have not had a headache in 6 days (since the injection). I have also gotten feeling back in my right arm which was pretty numb & tired for the last few years. The only side effect I've noticed is that every couple of hours I feel an emptiness in my chest and get flushed for a minute. I did expect some side effects but it's a lot better than having a headache. Everybody experiences different side effects - my Dr. was an anesthesiologist who did the injection under an x-ray. Hopefully your symptoms can be relieved - I spent 4 years going through every type of doctor & treatment tht was suggested to me.
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I HAVE RECEIVED BOTH TYPES OF INJECTIONS. ONE TYPE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY NECK AND FACET ON THE LEFT.
WHILE THE EPIDURAL HELPED THE FACET HAS CAUSED SORENESS AND HEADACHES.
I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING PAIN FROM A CAR ACCIDENT FOR OVER 2 YEARS.
I WAS ALL SET FOR THE SECOND SET OF 3 SHOTS BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT BETTER.
NOW AFTER THE FACET INJECTIONS, I WISH I HAD STOPPED AFTER THE FIRST ONES.
I FEEL FOR ANYONE WHO TRIES TO MAKE A DR. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU REALLY ARE IN PAIN! :'( WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE INJECTIONS??
WHILE THE EPIDURAL HELPED THE FACET HAS CAUSED SORENESS AND HEADACHES.
I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING PAIN FROM A CAR ACCIDENT FOR OVER 2 YEARS.
I WAS ALL SET FOR THE SECOND SET OF 3 SHOTS BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT BETTER.
NOW AFTER THE FACET INJECTIONS, I WISH I HAD STOPPED AFTER THE FIRST ONES.
I FEEL FOR ANYONE WHO TRIES TO MAKE A DR. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU REALLY ARE IN PAIN! :'( WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE INJECTIONS??
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hello I was in a car accident 2 yrs ago and from the accident I have 4 buldging discs that are pushing on the nerves in my neck...also as a result of the accident I injured my muscles. The dr. suggest that I have cortizone injections in my neck.. I,m really scared to have these injections. The dr. stated that the side effects are as follows... infection, bleeding, headaches if he nicks the membrane wall protecting my spine and the most severe is paralysis...can you tell me is the side effects common for this type of procedure? Should I be as concerned as I am? Is the percentage rate for these side effects high? Please al the advice you can give me will help releave my concerns...thank you
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I was recently diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. i have a particular bone spur that seems to be the culprit of my pain. No head aches, just neck and left arm pain. It bridges C3 and 4 on the right. I have been given the option of surgery from the back to decompress by widening the canal where the nerves are, from the front to remove the spur or cortisone shots. A series of up to 3. I do have other spurs the dr thinks may need removing later. My main question is whether the injections would really be the right choice. Decompression would alleviate the pressure. I just see the cortisone being a painful postponement of an inevitable surgery because it is to reduce the swelling and I have a bone spur pressing on the nerve. Am i looking at this the right way? Oh and They would HAVE to knock me over the head with a club because the shots scare me to no end. I don't think sedatives would do the trick.
thanks so much
thanks so much
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i just got an injection in my neck 2 days ago, the doc said if i have an allergic reaction, which will be unlikely that it might just discolor the skin to a little white dot, i got it done and it felt like someone popped a water balloon in my skin while he was doing it and then it hurt really bad after that, i looked in the mirror the next day and noticed there was a big red circle and it looked like a scratch from the left side of my neck where i got the shot to my spine, the pain was right where the mark was afterwards, not where the pain was before, that pain was still there, so i had more pain, and now it is two days after, i got another big circle at the other end, so it looks like a weight lift thing with two round things and a bar in the middle that looks like a scratch, my shoulder is huting, my ear, i am sick to my stomach, coming out of both ends and my stomach is hurting really bad, my physical therapist told me to go talk to that doctor before he sees me again, i am getting flush every ten minutes or so, but no fever. i am going to go back and find out from the doctor what this could be tomorrow, but it all happened when i got the injection. i dont ever want to get another one. side effects are different on different ppl, my neighbors didnt have any probs when they have theirs done. good luck to all
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Anyone coming to a forum like this to get medical advice must understand that is NOT what you are getting here. I've been through a series of these injections and am a molecular biologist. There are different medicines used with this procedure and no one here has properly mentioned that. All steroids are not the same. Ask your doctor if he/she plans to use a particulate steroid or a non-particulate steroid. Will they use a numbing medication in the dural space or not. There's a huge difference.
Ask your doctor what complications his/her patients have experienced. Ask your doctor, how long he/she has been doing them, where they were trained to do this specific procedure, how many patients have experienced negative effects -vs- positive results. They key is to ask your doctor and not listen to personal stories from people you don't even know IF they've really even had the procedure! Seek a second opinion if you are curious about the details or question the first doctor's judgement.
Ask your doctor what complications his/her patients have experienced. Ask your doctor, how long he/she has been doing them, where they were trained to do this specific procedure, how many patients have experienced negative effects -vs- positive results. They key is to ask your doctor and not listen to personal stories from people you don't even know IF they've really even had the procedure! Seek a second opinion if you are curious about the details or question the first doctor's judgement.
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I would like to suggest that anyone considering this course of treatment be certain he/she is being treated by someone qualified to administer the epidural according to area of the spine. From my understanding, the lumbar epidural is a common procedure, but the administration of a cervical epidural requires special training. My friend has been in intensive care for over a week -- due to an epidural in her neck. They had to put her into a hypothermic state to stop the bleeding into her brain, and put her into an induced coma. She's presently back to a normal temperature, but is still on a ventilator, and very heavily sedated. Most of us seem to think an epidural is not something to be very concerned about -- obviously not the case. Question any doctor's experience/qualifications in this regard.
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These posts are quite old, and some are negative re. steriod injections. I gather this is from people mostly in the States? In England practioners are highly trained and my side effects were minimal; an anesthetic injection was used to minimise pain of injections and six administered to my highly calcified neck. A little pain from the needles to be expected but on the whole, pain was reduced. Good luck to all pain sufferers - keep positive is the main thing. :-) :-) :-)
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I am not giving advice one way, or another. I am meerly sharing my experience. I had my first cortisone shot this last Wed. (8/11/10), and the only side effects were a migraine in the middle of the night, and some slight lower back and leg pressure; which later began to feel like mild menstral cramps, but went away within a few hours. I'm going on day 3 tomorrow, and so far, I have not had any of the side effects listed in the above posts. I don't know that there is a diffrence in the way I feel compared to how I felt before the shot, but that my still take a few days to happen. I hope the best to all who are concidering this procedure!
Becci
Becci
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This isnt a reply, just a newbie here. I had an accident March 19th 2010 Went thru therapy, have a tens unit. Now referred to pain management in Orlando. I'm suppose to be NPO after midnight. So I asked her OK WHAT AM I IN FOR? IF YA DONT TELL ME MY B/P WILL BE UP. LOL SO SHE SAID CORTISONE INJECTION. But interview first. Now this is my first visit. Duhhhhhhh Is this right for first visit? I'm taking all records.
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I had 2 cortisone injections in the base of my skull 2 months ago, and have had a severe migraine with pain in the injection area ever since. 3 Days after the injections I had to go to the emergency room because the pain got to be too much to handle, and they just shot me up with Morphine, put me on Dilaudid, and sent me home. Pain is still here, always is 24/7 and never goes away. Noone knows what's wrong, and the physician who did the injections is no longer there. Don't get them! I'm still suffering! =( And if anyone has had this happen to them and actually got an answer..please let me know!
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hello i got my 2nd injection in my left side of my neck today and its 4 hours later and im nausated and have bad hedache and throwing up! when i told dr i had hedache from last time he said he didnt know why! omg i felt good after for 4 hours no pain now i have pain again and im sick! :'(
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