Spinal Injections???

S

Sussan

New member
Hi, I'm hoping someone can give me an opinion.
I have seen 2 back specialists and this is their advise -
1. I have spinal stenosis. Have epidural steriod injection(s).
2. I have arthritis (first doctor acknowledges this as well). The arthritis is causing inflamation in the facets. Have lurabar facet injection(s) which will reduce facet swelling that is putting pressure on whatever it is that is causing the stenosis. He thinks that this will work but if these injections don't work then have epidural steriod injection(s).

It seems to me that I should just go directly to the epidural steriod injection, but the second doctor doesn't agree and just says "I think that this is the better way for you to go." Are lurabar facet injections less invasive? Thanks for your help!!
 
Both are very similar in terms of how invasive they are and the steroid used in the procedure. Have you seen a Pain Management specialist? One that is an interventional pain management doctor can also be a good resource and often these are the type of doctors that do the injections. I've recently had both ESI and facet injections all within about a 2 month time period so I'm wondering why they wouldn't consider both (perhaps not at the same time but in a few appointments).
 
If you have arthritis in the facet joints, and the doctor wants to do facet injections into the facets, he may feel that putting the medication directly into the facets has a better chance of helping than an epidural steroid injection which is simply putting a lot of steroiRAB near the spinal nerves .
Having the esi injection is a hit or miss thing. Sometimes, it helps more often though, it doesn't seem to. I would suggest you do a search on esi injections and facet injections and it may help explain why putting the medication near the facets if that is the problem may be more wise than just putting a bunch of steroid into /near your spinal nerves and hoping it will work.
 
That's interesting... Are you saying that the epidural spinal will do nothing to relieve the inflamation in the facets, which the second doctor (a pain management anesthesiologist) thinks is the root of the problem? Then having the lurabar facet injection does make sense.
I've looked up both procedures and the lurabar facet is the only one that addresses arthritis. The epidural spinal seems to address the spinal stenosis.
 
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