Hey Z, sorry to hear about your back. I've been down that road, several MRIs, PT, epidural steroid injections, etc... I have three disc bulges. They 're very prevalent and can cause a lot of discomfort. I'm also the guy does rhe epidural steroid injections as part if my job. A disc bulge is different than a herniated disc. Bulging discs put pressure on nerve nerve roots which in turn cause inflammation and thus pain. A herniated disc is a disc tht has actually ruptured. An MRI is necessary to diagnose and differnetiate between the two.
Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms, surgery is definitive treatment if the actual problem. The good news is that out of all disc bulges it's actually a relatively small percent that need surgery, and disc bulges can resolve over time quite to where it's not problematic. Here's a pretty good article. I haven't had any issues in years but I've noticed that if my body Fat round my core gets to a certain point my back is the first to let me know it's too much.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907819/
Hey Bricks,
I'm going to be scheduled for an epidural. I've read a lot using my Google fu but you are firsthand in it.
What can you tell me.
Should I be scared to do it?
What's the process before, during and after the procedure?
I've been in pain for 5 weeks. Today I finally saw the specialist. I have 2 cervical herniated discs and 2 compressed nerves.
Only the last few days the pain has subsided and fluctuates between a 1 and a 4. Before that it was a constant 7 to 10. Very little sleep for 2 weeks but like I said it seems to be subsiding, Been doing a lot of ice.
It's my call on the epidural, they're gonna schedule but if I feel I'm ok I can call and cancel, which is what I'm hoping to do as long as it keep slowly getting better.
Basically I'm nervous as fuk with a needle going near my spine.
Don't sweat the epidural steroid injection. You'll be positioned probably with your neck bent some to open up the disc spaces. They will put a little local anesthetic in before they use the epidural needle. Process shouldn't hurt at all. They more than likely will use fluroscopy ro guide their advance of the needle. Epidural steroid injections usually take 24 hrs or so for the steroid to kick in and start working. The steroid should decrease the inflammation irritating the nerves and quiet them down. Due to anatomy cervical injections carry a little more risk but nobody should be doing your procedure who is not highly skilled and comfortable with it. Understand that this injection, while it may provide good relief, is not a definitive treatment. It doesn't fix the problem. However, having some a lot of steroid injections and receiving about half a dozen myself, I can tell you this. About 50% of people get relief. I always got great relief, about a year before needing another. If a disc bulge is the issue, those can resolve and improve. I've gone 5 years now without an injection and I've been training with the most intensity during this time. My problems lumbar. Persistent parasthesias, loss of strength or motor problems are gonna be a signal that surgery may be necessary. Hope this helps some
Any cervical injections I've done I positioned the patient sitting on a gurney, bedside stand/table at a height to rest your arms on, head forward resting on your arms. Make sense?
They may have you laying prone (face down), neck flexed on a foam head rest.
lie on a cold compress, get a friend to pick up some devils claw, stretch your ankles and feet up to stimulate your hams all connective tissue is connected
Go see a chiropractor, a good one is worth is weight in gold.