Worried That Back Pain Will Ruin the Holidays? An Injection May Help

The holidays are approaching, and with them come more festivities, busyness, to-do lists, and stress — a perfect recipe for back pain.  Once it flares up, your plans for decorating, cooking, and attending get-togethers fizzle out due to spinal pain, numbness, weakness, and other unpleasant symptoms.

Fortunately, board-certified pain doctor Mahesh Mohan, MD, and the team at Pain Specialists of Frisco can resolve your back issues and restore your holiday joy using innovative treatments. 

Spinal conditions cause pain in unexpected places

Spinal conditions cause more than back pain. 

A herniated disc, for example, happens when the soft center of the donut-like disc between two vertebrae bulges and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Depending on the location, the irritated nerves can lead to significant pain and numbness in your arm, fingers, shoulder blade, buttocks, legs, and feet.

If you suffer from pain in your body’s largest nerve — the sciatic nerve that runs down your leg — you can experience pain, weakness, inflammation, and numbness in your lower back, leg, and right down to your toes. Bone spurs, a herniated disc, or spinal stenosis (a condition where your spinal canal narrows and compresses your nerves) can all cause sciatica symptoms.

Radiculopathy is a group of symptoms that result from a pinched nerve root in your spinal column. You might experience pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling anywhere along your spine. A herniated disc, bone spurs, and spinal stenosis are some prime culprits.

How can I eliminate back pain for the holidays?

After the root cause of back pain is diagnosed, conservative treatments are explored first, such as:

• Oral medications
• Physical therapy
• A cervical collar if you’re experiencing neck pain
• A lumbar brace if you have lower back pain
• Altering your exercise routine

If these measures don’t provide sufficient relief, we have a minimally invasive treatment in our arsenal that can alleviate your discomfort, enhance your mobility, and potentially prevent the need for surgery to address the pain. 

An epidural steroid injection is a comfortable, in-office procedure where we inject a combination of powerful steroid anti-inflammatory medications and a local anesthetic. The medication eases pain, allowing more freedom of movement and soothing your aggravated nerves. 

Depending on which area of your back is painful, we may recommend:

• Caudal epidural steroid injection at the base of your spine
• Transforaminal injection where your spinal nerves exit your spine
• Interlaminar injection anywhere along your spine

During treatment, we administer a local anesthetic at the injection site so you don’t feel pain. The injection process takes only 10-15 minutes per injection. Depending on their condition and treatment goals, some patients require more than one. 

After treatment, we observe you for about half an hour, and then you can return home. You may experience discomfort at the injection site, but applying an ice pack can quickly relieve it. 

Are epidural steroid injections effective?

Many patients report a significant reduction in pain, numbness, and other debilitating symptoms, allowing them to move better. The relief can last for months, enabling you to delay or avoid invasive surgery.

However, results vary. Some note an immediate reduction in pain, while others experience a temporary worsening of symptoms right after their injection but begin to feel relief two to four days following treatment. 

To learn more about epidural steroid injections and enjoy an active holiday season, contact the Pain Specialists of Frisco office nearest you in Fort Worth or Frisco, TX, to schedule an appointment.