Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection

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Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection

Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection

Definition

A caudal epidural steroid injection may be recommended for patients who experience low back pain, rectal pain, or groin pain. Patients who struggle with the side effects of pain medication and those who wish to have pain relief for several months may be good candidates for this procedure.

Procedure

The caudal epidural steroid injection begins with the patient lying face down with their low back exposed. A small pillow may be placed underneath the patient so the sacrum is slightly elevated. At this time, the area is cleansed with a sterilizing solution to minimize the risk of infection. Once the patient is prepped, the physician will administer a local anesthetic at the sacral hiatus, or the top of the opening in the lumbar spine to ease any discomfort caused by the procedure.

The physician will verify that the patient is comfortable and that the local anesthesia is working efficiently before continuing on to the injection. A needle is guided into the caudal epidural space near the base of the spine. The physician may first inject a special dye that lights up on a fluoroscope device to confirm the position of the needle in relation to the caudal epidural space. Once the position is confirmed, the physician can inject a solution of anesthetic and steroid medication onto the nerve roots. To minimize discomfort to the patient and to keep the needle in the confirmed location, the needle does not need to be removed between injecting the contrast dye and injecting the anti-inflammatory steroid medication. Once the procedure is complete, the needle can be removed and the area is bandaged. Overall, the steroid injection should only take a couple of minutes. It is an outpatient procedure, meaning that after a brief period of monitoring, patients may return home the same day.

After Care

Caudal epidural steroid injections are considered very safe procedures and there are very few side effects. Although rare, patients should still look for signs of injection or allergic reaction while resting at home. Patients may feel a little sore after the injection, but overall, can expect to experience significant pain relief a few days after the procedure. If only a small amount of pain relief is felt, patients should talk to their Tulsa Pain physician. The physician may recommend an alternative pain treatment, or in some cases, a repeat injection in order to feel the full effects of the medication. Caudal epidural steroid injections are not a permanent pain solution, but may also be repeated after the effects have worn off in a couple of months.

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