Corticosteriod injections for pain relief

I had the same problems in July my advice would be to try the injections first because I had the operation on the 27th of July and they damaged my nerves in my back which left my bowels and bladder not working and I am.still.the same at the moment so think carefully but my advice would be try the injections first xx

Hi Gabriella

This could work but it depends. If the herniation is not too bad then it is not a bad plan. The injection will relieve the inflammation on the nerve but if the nerve remains under pressure from the disc then it will come back. 

If the disc has ruptured then the injection is probably not a fix and surgery may be more suitable,

if the disc is just out of shape then what could work would be the injection now and then lots of physiotherapy and core strengthening in the following weeks and months. The latter is key as it takes pressure off the herniated disc (because the muscles support the back better), sometimes enough to mean that the nerve is no longer under pressure from the damaged disc and so it does not get re-inflamed hence less or no pain later. 

Just bear in mind that nothing is a certainty and things tend not to be all or nothing, certainly not in the short term. Do be careful during the period after the injection though - even if it feels better, your back will be looking for reasons to rebel, so no sitting for long periods and watch out for bending lifting and twisting as these all put load on the disc that you are trying to rehabilitate.

I had severe nerve pain in june fron l4 nerve entrapment i was hesitent but the pain gave in an i went ahead to be honest it was not painful experience and it did relieve the pain to 50 to 60% improvement . Unfortunately if you leave the nerve impinged it can damage it as mine has even though 3 mths after my mri showed disc had slipped off nerve but it has left it damaged so 6 months later i have still no knee reflex .but the cortisone injection definitely helped my pain to be more manageable so good luck on what ever you decide 

 

Personally they didn't work for me and they won't heal a disc they only mask the pain if they work . Unfortunately operating was what worked for me. An emergency op as my disc s collapsed and were pressing on my spinal cord . Neurosurgeon has been my best bet .

I see a lot of patients with this kind of problem and I do a lot of spinal steroid injections for it. Ignore the scaremongers. It's a simple and safe procedure with a very low risk of complications. Most patients get benefit that can accelerate return to normal function aided by physical therapy.