Debunking 5 Common Myths About Epidural Steroid Injections

If you’ve been dealing with chronic neck pain or back pain and over-the-counter pain relievers aren’t helping, epidural steroid injections may have come up as a potential treatment option. However, a quick search online can uncover a lot of misinformation that may cause you to have second thoughts.

Epidural steroid injections have been used for years to reduce inflammation and ease nerve-related pain, yet they remain widely misunderstood.

At Alliance Spine & Pain Centers, the largest interventional pain practice in the Southeast, we believe informed patients make the best decisions about their care. In this blog, our pain specialists debunk five of the most common myths about epidural steroid injections and explain what you really need to know when considering this treatment.

Myth 1: Epidural steroid injections are painful

Because it’s an injection, you may find this myth easy to believe. However, epidural steroid injections aren’t painful when performed correctly by an experienced professional.

Your comfort is a priority. Before administering the steroid, we inject a local anesthetic into the surrounding tissue with a very small needle. During the injection, you may feel some pressure, but there’s little to no pain. Mild soreness at the injection site can occur after the anesthetic wears off, but this typically improves quickly.

Myth 2: Epidural steroid injections are dangerous

Some people avoid epidural steroid injections because they fear serious complications, including paralysis. While every medical procedure carries some risk, epidural steroid injections are minimally invasive and have low rates of adverse events. 

You can further minimize risks by choosing an experienced pain specialist and carefully following the pre- and post-procedure instructions. 

Myth 3: No pain relief means it failed

The effectiveness of epidural steroid injections varies greatly. Some people experience immediate relief that lasts several months, while others have temporary relief or none at all.

However, lack of pain relief doesn’t mean it failed. These injections work by reducing inflammation, which in turn relieves pressure on irritated nerves. Sometimes, a single injection isn’t enough to reduce inflammation sufficiently. 

Many patients benefit from a series of epidural steroid injections to get the best results and may need repeat injections for long-term pain management.

Myth 4: The needle goes into the spinal cord

This is one of the biggest sources of fear, but it’s simply not true.

We inject the medication into the epidural space of the spine, a fat-filled area outside of the spinal cord. We use advanced image guidance during the procedure to ensure precise placement of the medication, targeting the suspected nerve causing your pain while keeping your spinal cord protected.

Myth 5: Injections are a last resort before surgery

As leaders in pain management, our goal is to help you avoid surgery whenever possible. Epidural steroid injections are one of many interventional pain management treatments we offer to help you get control of your pain so you can avoid or delay surgery.

For many, these injections provide enough pain relief to participate in physical therapy and perform strengthening exercises that lead to long-term improvement. If injections don’t provide sufficient relief, we may recommend other innovative nonsurgical options like radiofrequency ablation, minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD®), or spinal cord stimulation.

We’re here to answer your questions and relieve your pain

The internet offers an abundance of information, but not all of it is accurate. If you have concerns or questions about epidural steroid injections, our team at Alliance Spine & Pain Centers is here to help.

To learn more about our treatments for your pain, contact us today. We have an expansive network of locations, with offices in Augusta, Atlanta, Austell, Brookhaven, Canton, Carrollton, Cartersville, Conyers, Covington, Dallas, Dawsonville, Douglasville, Jasper, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Marietta, Peachtree City, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Suwanee, and Woodstock, Georgia.