Back pain can be more than a simple nuisance; it can be downright debilitating. While there are a number of treatments for back pain – from anti-inflammatory medications to in-office treatments to massage therapy – one nonsurgical option to deal with the discomfort is a spinal injection. Sounding far more sinister than it is, a spinal injection can not only help to relieve pain, but in some instances – depending on the type of injection – can help to diagnose the cause of the pain. This can then help your physician to determine a course of treatment for the pain.
In most instances, when dealing with Florida back pain, spinal injections are used in conjunction with other therapies and after more traditional options have been utilized. It is the option that stands between physical therapy for back pain and surgical solutions, for those that are trying to avoid going under the knife to address the source of the pain.
For Florida back pain, in particular, injectable pain relief can work wonders because the fact that the medication is injected into the very area originating the source of the back pain brings relief almost instantly. By comparison, when taking oral medications, it can take up to an hour before any relief is felt, particularly if the medication is time-released. In these instances, a steroid medication is delivered at the site of the injection to reduce inflammation and thereby pain in the area. This is generally a fairly temporary type of relief, though it is generally longer lasting than an over-the-counter medication.
It should be noted that to treat Florida back pain with an injectable medication, you should work with a trained physician. Injecting anything into your back can be dangerous when administered improperly, so anyone not trained to give such injections can cause more harm than good.
It also helps to know the types of back injections available for those experiencing back pain, which include an epidural (often given during surgical procedures and for pregnant women in labor and in need of pain relief); selective nerve root block; sacroiliac joint block; facet joint block and facet rhizotomy, to name a few of the most commonly used injections. Talk with your doctor about the side effects of any injections used to stave off Florida back pain, so that you are clear about what to expect.
However, when back injections are used to diagnose an issue, the process is a bit different. The idea behind these injections is to determine which area of the back is causing the pain. If the patient feels relief of any kind after the injection, then the treating physician can infer that the immediate area in which the injection was given was the source of the Florida back pain. This can be helpful in determining a future course of treatment that might include other types of treatments.
To know whether back injections are the best option for treatment, it always a good idea to discuss the pros and cons with a medical professional, so that all information available in this course of treatment can be considered in the decision.