Does it come and go no matter how you sit or how often you stretch?
If so, it might be time to look into getting medical help for back pain relief.
A good place to start would be spinal injections. These are not as intense as spinal surgery, but, they tend to be more effective than physical therapy.
Here’s everything you need to know about injections and how they benefit your back.
What Are Spinal Injections?
A spinal injection is a special shot administered directly into the bone mass of the spine.
There are a few different kinds of spinal injections, but each has some common basics.
First, all are administered under the direction of x-ray support.
This process is referred to as fluoroscopy.
This is a simple procedure in which you will be hooked up to an IV while laying on an x-ray table. The scanner then develops images of the part of the spine being examined.
Second, each procedure begins with a liquid contrast to test the point of incision. This has no medication and serves as a way to double-check the flow pattern inside the body.
Once confirmed, the medication is injected.
The following are some different applications of injections and the purpose they serve.
Facet Injections
Facet injections are the first step of most treatment plans involving spinal injections. They can also be used for other spinal services.
This is because a facet injection is meant to get an accurate diagnosis of pain.
It helps doctors find the exact location of where your pain is coming from. When the medicine is administered to the facet joint and the pain is relieved, doctors know they are on the right track.
Pain relief can vary, which provides more details on all the factors contributing to your back pain.
Epidural Steroid Injections
Epidural steroid injections are a method of pain relief for all parts of the spine – cervical, thoracic, and lumbar.
Steroids in the form of spinal injections are more effective than those taken orally. The direct administration allows steroids to fight pain at the source.
This treatment can offset chemical inflammations as well.
But, before you decide which kind of injection treatment is right for you, start by understanding all the reasons to consider spinal injections.
What Are the Benefits?
Don’t let a fear of needles keep you from discovering all the benefits a spinal injection can offer.
It goes beyond pain relief, although that is the main reason to look into such treatment.
1. Pain Relief
Back pain can creep into your life in many ways.
If you work at a desk job, you’ll likely experience this in the neck and shoulders after leaning into a screen all day. You might also feel back pain in the lower parts of the spine.
It all depends on how you sit and stand and for how long.
Pain can also be an effect of a car accident or overexertion of the body. Sometimes, your back pain is a signal of other extreme conditions happening in the muscles and bones.
Thankfully, whatever the reason you feel pain, a spinal injection can offset the intensity. This is one of the most direct ways to treat back pain.
2. Relief at the Source
Speaking of direct treatment, let’s look a little deeper at how injections work.
Whichever kind of injection you choose, you can trust it will be applied right where you need it.
Other options, like pills or external solutions, won’t be as concentrated. These get spread out before they can reach the source of your pain. More so, they often work more like a band-aid than an actual fix.
Instead, injections start working from the moment they are applied.
These treatments start from the source of your pain and work their way out to prevent further pain from happening.
3. More Range of Motion
When you fix one part of your back, you will likely feel a better range of motion throughout the rest of your body.
Think about it: most of the movements in your body have something to do with your spine. Everything from using your arms to do your hair or get dressed to even something as simple as walking can be affected by back pain.
But, once the pain goes away, you may find you’re able to do such simple motions with less tension.
This is a benefit anyone can enjoy. Whether you live an active lifestyle and push your body every day, or if you prefer to be a bit more relaxed, you will be able to feel the difference.
4. Better Posture
Good posture is a big part of feeling the difference spinal injections can have on your whole body.
A wider range of motion creates more physical awareness. More awareness thus turns into being better able to tell when you aren’t sitting straight.
It might seem like a minor change to push your shoulders back a bit more or sit a little taller. But, these habits can create lasting long-term relief for your back pain.
They prevent you from harming your back and needing injections all over again.
Instead, you’re able to trust you are taking care of yourself from all angles.
Heal Your Back Pain With a Spine Doctor
Not sure why your back pain keeps coming and going?
A specialist can help you figure everything out.
From the causes of your back pain to the best spinal injections available, a spine doctor is the best resource to confide in every step of the way. Stop waiting to feel the difference targeted pain relief can make in your life.
Click here to learn more about our team of top-notch doctors.
Or, pick up the phone and set up your consultation!