Steriod injection in spine need input!
 

I have an injection scheduled for Tues next week for a herniated L5-S1 disc. Anyone have experiance with this.
I'm hoping this will take care of the pain I'm having so I can get back to work. Any advice would be great.

Matt

make you feel like a stong man.. just becarful with the tabs they give you for the pain.. i have a bad back i personally can't stand the 5/500 ox tabs they give me for more than a week.. just don't like them.. but dislike the pain more..

Just watch that the pain might go away and the damage is masked. I took injections in my elbow and felt good for like 4 months and then it was worse.....Take it slow.........

IT CAN BENIFIT SOME PATIENTS, MAY SLOW THE NEED FOR SURGERY,TRUST IN YOUR DOCTOR.MRS FOUNTAIN1FAN

I had 6 injections in my spine for herniated disc's (L-4,
L-5, & S-1). They took a few days to work but helped out a lot with the pain.

The worst part of the injections for me was the actual fluid going in. The insertion of the needle was not bad at all, but when they started injecting the Cortizon (sp) I had some increased sciatic pain. it was well worth it though. Better than living on Vicodin.

Thank you all for your input. I understand about the Vicodin, we call it doing the Brett Favre here in Wisconsin. I have the pain managed right now but I haven't worked since Dec 9th and my job as an electrician requires bending quite often and the pain can flare up in an instant and will put me on the floor unable to walk or sit down. The sharp pain down the back of my leg tends to put me to my knees. Hopefully the injection will allow me to go back to work soon.

Matt

Steroids are an anti-inflamatory, used to reduce swelling. Can work well for the short term, but too many injections can prove to worsen the problem. My Mother has bad knees. When she would travel with my Father she would get an injection the day before so she would be able to walk with less pain. After about 10 days they were back to the way they were before the injection.

Basically treats the symptom but not the problem.

Herniated my disk between L4 -L5 in 93 racing these puppies, spent 4 months on drugs fooling around with epidurals, steriods, traction, nothing helped. Got smart saw a great orthepic surgeon, got an MRI, sure enough, disk in three pieces, one piece about to cut my syatic nerve in half( makes for a dead leg)! Had a fusion surgery L4, L5, not to bad 6months recuperation. Now I waterski, snow ski and run around in these puppies, no pain! no problems!. Don't screw around, get an MRI. If the disk is really herinated get a lamenectomy or fusion now depending on condition of disk. See the best spinal orthepedic you can find! Hope this helps, the pain sucks!

There are alot of new treatment out there for herniated discs. I encourage you to check out www.spineunivers.com
Good site for answers to just about any of your questions. As far as the injections, the only thing I can ad is be sure your Dr. is using some kind of image guiding for placement of the needle. There are some Dr's doing it in the office w/o imaging. Again, you can find info on that at the above site. I have had about everything go wrong with surgery that could go wrong so my personal opinoin is try every available option. Not sure where you are in Wisconsin but UofW Madison has a top rated spine clinic and your close enough to Mayo who has the #1 rated Neurosurgery unit in the country to consider both. Your spine is not somthing to trust to a Dr. you do not have complete confidence in. Do your homework and Best of luck.

I had imaging done while on the table during mine. I also had MRI's previous so they new exactly what the problem was. The first series of injections I had they waited a couple months between them. each one took car of the pain for about six weeks. The last series I had, we did one a week. I actually have had some permanent relief from that series.

As far as surgery, I chose to wait. The fix for my problem is a double fusion. I know several people that have had back surgery, and I know of one that was successful long term. I know a few that lasted a couple years, but then went south. Once you get cut, you can't go back. I am holding out as long as possible for new technology.

Another thing I would recommend is Chiropractic. I go twice a month and get adjusted, as well as traction. Both seem to really cut down on the flare up's that I get.

Good luck.

I am waiting for a call from my doctor's office to find out if image guided injection is the way they do it. I have had an MRI that shows herniation of the L5-S1 disc.

Mr. Demeaner I work for the UW Hospital but have been seen by my local Dr and Ortho surgeon. If they don't use the image guide I will be calling the UW Spine clinic as soon as I get off the phone with the local surgeon.

Thanks Matt

Go see UW anyway. Two heads are better than one. MY $.02. My guess would be that UW will have more insight into new procedures. That being said, I would rather start at a place like that then go there after being treated elswhere. Im fused at two levels and alot of mistakes were made along the way. I am now at patient at the Loyola Medical Center where I just had surgery 2 weeks ago to fix a scar on my abdomen that never heald correctly. The place was top notch. The only thing to be aware of is that you may have a resident acualy doing your surgery under the guidance of a teaching Dr. if you go to a teaching hospital. Ive had 6 spine surgeries. If you ever want to talk, shoot me an email at [email protected]

Prior to my surgery I had to go through a series of pain management sessions in the L4-L5 region. The doc ordered three sessions of cortisone injections. Three injections per session which included three novocaine injections prior to the cortisone. That's right, 6 needles per session. The pain doc used a fluoroscope to guide a flexible needle to the affected nerves.
First treatment I almost passed out. Second was ok. After the third I wanted to kill the pain doc.
After all that, the shots didn't really work.

Hope your goes better.

You do not need to go to a facility several hours away to have this done. Any radiology department at a good hospital has Radiologists that can do Fluro guided injections into the disc space. Avoid surgery at all costs. Disc material will often re-absorb with enough time which will in fact cure the problem. Injections do not just mask the problem they often can get you through the pain from the inflamation and allow the disc to heal.
Best of luck!

After reading all this you are probably sorry you asked. Good luck to you.

I have learned that the Hospital in town does not use Fluro guided procedure. I canceled my appointment until I can schedule with the UW may take longer but I think I will feel more comfortable with better accuracy in needle placement. It's only a 30 minute drive to the UW and I drive it everyday for work so no big deal there.

Thanks for all the input
Matt

Sounds like your not sorry you asked. My steroid shots were a breeze and I had alot of them. The only other advice I can give you is that you can scare yourself to death if you start researching this on the internet. You must remember that the people who recover and do well, are never heard from again. That makes what you will find on the net overhelmingly negative. Keep it in mind.

I had injections for my back as well. It usually takes more than one. It's important that you take it easy for a while and let it have time to work. I felt better to quickly and went right back to work. Big mistake. Best of luck to you.
Robert

Do a search on the internet for Dr. Frank Cammisa.I realize that he is in New York,but take a look at his credentials.I have many friends and relatives that this man his treated with positive results.

Hi Matt,

In addition to owning Triad Performance Marine, I am also part owner in a Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Clinic. I am not the Doctor(that is my partner), but we have lot's of experience dealing with herniated discs and have been able to successfully treat most through non-invasive procedures, traction, and rehabilitation.

Injections do work like they are supposed to, but your just treating the symptoms not the problem; none the less if the pain has become unbearable you have no choice.

Please keep in mind, there are other options available today...you may need to do a little research and possibly get a second opinion, but you do have alternatives to injections.

FYI - In our clinic, we offer traction with FDA approved protocols, complete rehabilitation with a licensed therapist, and if necessary Manipulation Under Anesthesia(a non-invasive surgical procedure) to treat discs injuries.

The reason I mention this is because sometimes Doctors decide on a course of action for like injuries and neglect to discuss other options, especially if it means referring them to another physician.

Of course this is just my opinion...good luck.

Don Baca

I just had a two level disk fusion three weeks ago. I have been in alot of pain and they put me on a steriod pill pack that has help alot. I am supposed to be on this for one week. I hope this helps and god speed with your pain

David Ledford

I had herniated L3 in 00 after the race in Sarasota. After about a month of instense pain down the back of my legs I went to see Mike Lospinuso . He actually sent me for the MRI before our first visit. When I saw him he said that I could try injects or any other thearpy of my choice, nut surgery is the only real answer. He said make an appointment for two weeks and we'll talk about it then. I called him at home that night and told him to schedule me for the surgery. Within 8 weeks I was back in the boat racing in NC. The surgery and recovery was not bad, although I didn't need to be fused, yet. He said if I keep going the way I am expect to need the fusion within 10 years. While I was in rehab I met a guy that had a disk replaced using one from a doner. He was doing very well and hopefully that procedure will become more common.

The best advice I can give you is to find a good Dr, even if you have to travel. It's just not worth the risk of what could happen in someone messes up your back.

My surgeon was able to schedule my injection with the University Of Wisconsin Hospital for Monday, they do the procedure with the aid of a fluoroscope. Hopefully this takes care of my pain for know to allow me to get back to work.

Thanks to everyone

Matt

Good to hear Vagrant. My fusion is about a year old and Im still seeing slow inprovement. It takes a long time. Eat healthy and take some supplements so your body has what it needs to repair. I took coral calcium for the first year post fusion and my latest film looks real good.

Best wishes on on the results Matt.

I had several epidurals (sp) <for cracked vertebrea and discintegrating discs from water skiing incidents> many years ago with injections preceeded by a finger probing my lower spine and the doc saying.. Hmmm I think thats the spot.

Only let them cut as a last resort..

Take care..Always use your knees a shock absorbers---

I have two bulging discs L5 ? other not sure I'M ON PERCS RIGHT NOW I took two to night still in pain:hothead: doc say PT doesnt help me here is my pain morning stiff, back spasm bougth sides, drive to work 1/2 hour stiff getting out of van then maybe sharpe pain down back of right leg leg gives out almost fall and thats at7 am everyf#cken day pain is about 6 to 8 by noon atake a pill thenat3or4 it helps Istill feel the pain when its a9 or10 Icant dress my self does any one have steady pain in the back that burns feels like someone hit you with a bat ? help:mad:

Airtime, get a plane to Mayo if you cant get the answers you need near home. Perc arent going to solve your problem and will likely cause other problems. Soem people have herniated discs and get around fine, others are disabled with a small bulge. Check the site I posted above for more info and best wishes.