Dealing with chronic pain: X-ray-guided steroid injections might do the trick

The providers and staff at Blue Mountain Hospital want to help ease the burden of pain in our county. We have an excellent physical therapy department, visiting specialists, and of course providers who can work with you to help ease or eliminate pain.

But what if your back, shoulder, knee or hip hurts so bad that you can’t tolerate physical therapy? You don’t want to take medications, or they don’t help? You don’t qualify for or don’t want to get surgery?

The anesthesia providers at BMH just might have the answer. For over 10 years we have been providing X-ray-guided steroid injections to relieve back and joint pain to the residents of Grant County.

Studies have shown that steroids administered directly to the site of arthritis, inflammation or bulging disc can significantly decrease or eliminate pain in over 60% of patients. Additionally, the procedure decreases the side effects of taking an oral steroid medication.

So how does it work? You begin by talking with your provider about the type of pain you have been dealing with. They can determine if a steroid injection is a good option for you. Once the anesthesia team gets the order, we can usually get you in within a week or so for the procedure.

We will talk to you about your pain symptoms and what you can expect, whip you back to our procedure room, and use a type of X-ray called fluoroscopy to guide a needle to the specific area of pain, inject the steroid, and back to recovery you go. The procedure only takes about 30-40 minutes, then you are on your way.

We understand that not everyone is a fan of needles, and in specific cases we can offer moderate sedation to make it a more pleasant experience.

The amount of pain relief and duration varies depending on the type and amount of damage you have and how well you take care of yourself afterwards. Pain relief can vary from none at all to complete resolution of symptoms. The average person will get three to four months of relief.

For some, changes in lifestyle or physical therapy can fix the problem long term. For others who have the pain return after several months, repeat injections are a good option to avoid surgery as long as they are effective.

As with all things in life, there are, of course, some risks. Steroids can cause flushing, allergic reaction and a transient bump in blood sugars if you are diabetic. Bleeding and bruising may occur, especially if you are using a blood thinner. Rarely, folks may experience some numbness in their legs, which typically resolves within a couple of hours. While the biggest concern everyone has is the possibility of nerve damage with spinal injections, the actual risk is less than 0.001%.

Is a steroid injection the answer to your pain issues? It just might be. Have an honest discussion with your primary care provider to consider the option. If you have any questions, the anesthesia department at Blue Mountain Hospital is happy to talk with you. Give us a call at 541-575-1311, ext. 2315.