What is Epidural Steroid Injection?
Category: Prescription Drugs
Most popular types: Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections
See also: Steroid Injections
Epidural Steroid Injection is an injection of long lasting steroid in the space that surrounds the spinal cord and the nerves coming out of it. The injection consists of a mixture of local anesthetic and the steroid medication and is used to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain in lower back | 165 | 69 | |
| Neck pain | 77 | 25 | |
| Degenerative disc disease | 58 | 9 | |
| Pain | 37 | 20 | |
| Back pain | 17 | 5 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 18 | |
| Moderate | 18 | |
| Mild | 26 | |
| None | 57 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Epidural Steroid Injection
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | 12 | |
| Back pain | 8 | |
| Injection site pain | 4 | |
| Generalized weakness (asthenia) | 3 | |
| Headaches | 3 | |
| Nausea | 3 |
Why patients stopped taking Epidural Steroid Injection
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Course of treatment ended | 57 | |
| Did not seem to work | 42 | |
| Other | 15 | |
| Side effects too severe | 13 | |
| Doctor's advice | 9 | |
| Expense | 8 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 4 | |
| Personal research | 3 |
Duration
Stopped taking Epidural Steroid Injection
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 66 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 21 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 7 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 11 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 8 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 3 | |
| 10 years or more | 3 |
What people switch to and from
Patients started taking Epidural Steroid Injection after stopping:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco) | 2 | |
| Codeine-acetaminophen (paracetamol) (Tylenol with Codeine #3) | 1 | |
| Cortisone Injection | 1 | |
| Lacidipine (Tens (Lacidipine)) | 1 | |
| Oxycodone-acetaminophen (Percocet) | 1 |
Patients stopped taking Epidural Steroid Injection and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Gabapentin (Neurontin) | 1 | |
| Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco) | 1 | |
| Naltrexone (Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)) | 1 | |
| Oxycodone (Oxycodone IR) | 1 |
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