When Spinal Stenosis causes lower back pain and other symptoms, Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation may recommend the use of Epidural Steroid Injections. This minimally invasive procedure, which involves the injection of a long-lasting steroid, is conveniently offered in our Red Bank, NJ pain management office. Our medical staff is comprised of top specialists in the field of pain management and rehabilitation. Our goal is to help patients find the very best in non-surgical pain management. We believe in using the healthiest, most conservative rehabilitation practices possible.
Spinal Stenosis is a painful condition which involves the narrowing of the spinal canal; this narrowing compresses the nerves and the spinal cord. Spinal Stenosis is often associated with age-related degeneration in the spine. Some basic causes of Spinal Stenosis include a disc herniation, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, or (more rarely) a tumor.
Lower back pain is a major symptom of Spinal Stenosis in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine. Other signs of Spinal Stenosis include abnormal sensation—including numbness and tingling—in the thighs, legs, and feet. Serious cases of Spinal Stenosis may lead to loss of bladder and bowel control.
Generally speaking, the first sign of Spinal Stenosis is pain, followed by progressive radiculopathy as the spinal cord and nerves become gradually trapped in an ever-shrinking area within the spinal canal. (Radiculopathy is the term used to describe the symptoms that occur when a nerve is negatively affected and can no longer work properly.) Other symptoms of Spinal Stenosis include weakness, heaviness in the legs, and muscle cramps.
It’s important for patients with Spinal Stenosis to regain or maintain basic movement and functioning. Working with our physical therapy and chiropractic departments can help Spinal Stenosis patients relieve symptoms and improve mobility.
The symptoms of Spinal Stenosis can be managed with these types of non-surgical therapies. However, some patients suffer from pain and disability to the extent that therapeutic exercise or chiropractic may not be possible. At Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation, our goal is to give patients as many options as possible—we don’t want patients to think that surgery is required in such cases. We also don’t want patients relying on the long-term use of painkilling medications. In such cases, Epidural Steroid Injections may be considered.
The epidural space is the outermost part of the spinal canal; it surrounds the spinal sac and provides cushioning for the nerves and the spinal cord. An injection of a steroid medication in the epidural space relieves inflammation and irritation of the spinal nerves and spinal cord caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal. This procedure offers patients serious pain relief.
Epidural Steroid Injections do not require anesthesia; as such, we perform them in our Red Bank office. Because our medical staff specializes in this type of interventional procedure, our physicians are able to perform Epidural Steroid Injections with little or no pain. Our pain management specialists also make use of Fluoroscopy during the procedure; this imaging technology allows for better accuracy, thereby boosting the
effectiveness of Epidural Steroid Injections.
Contact our Red Bank, NJ pain management office to find a wide variety of progressive, non-surgical treatment options for lower back pain.
