Adverse Reaction Of Epidural Steroid Injections Is Severe, But Rare!

Your epidural space is the area which surrounds the spinal cord and the nerves coming out of it. It is the area associated with severe back pains and inflammation. Your epidural steroid injections are long lasting steroid (CORTISONE) injections for your Epidural space to help you relieve your severe back pains, inflammation and/or swelling of nerves in the Epidural space, and to reduce pain, tingling & numbness and other symptoms caused by nerve inflammation / irritation or swelling.

However, there are risks, side effects, complications, and adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections. 1% to 2% of all injections may have minor side effects that may include minor infections, but 0.1% to 0.01% of injections may have adverse reaction.

Some of the side effects of epidural steroid injections may include a transient decrease in immunity, Cataracts, transient flushing, increased appetite, weight gain, high blood sugar (mainly in diabetics), water retention, suppression of body’s own natural production of cortisone, etc.

The adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections may include severe infections. An adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections may include bleeding inside the Epidural space with nerve damage. This adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections is rare, but it is more common for patients with underlying bleeding disorders.

Dural puncture may be adverse reaction of 0.5% of injections. This adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections may cause a post-dural puncture headache (also called a spinal headache) that usually gets better within a few days. Although rare, a blood patch may be necessary to alleviate the headache.

Stomach ulcers may also be adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections, and severe arthritis of the hips (avascular necrosis) may also an adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections.

However, to prevent the adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections, epidural steroid injections should not be given to given to the people having local or systemic bacterial infections, pregnant women, or the people having bleeding problems. Epidural steroid injections should also not be given to the people having pain from tumor or infection. Epidural steroid injections should not be given to the allergic people, or the patients on blood thinning medications, such as Coumadin, Plavix, and Ticlid. MRI scan should be done prior to the injection to rule out the adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections.

Adverse Reaction Of Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections are one of the most effective treatments of your backache. Researchers have tested that epidural steroid injections provide more relief as compared to pills ingested orally.

Epidural steroid injections are long lasting steroid injections that consist of a mixture of local anesthetic and the steroid medication, which is delivered in the epidural space surrounded by the spinal cord and the nerves coming out of it. Epidural steroid injections lessen the tenderness of nerves, which in turn reduce soreness, tingling & numbness and other signs caused by nerve inflammation or swelling.

Epidural steroid injections can provide both diagnostic and therapeutic benefits. The majority of patients take a few days to respond to epidural steroid injections because of the delayed effects of the corticosteroid.

The injecting procedure is safe, but there are always some types of hazards, fallouts, and complications associated with novel treatments. There is also adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections. The most common adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections includes temporary pain, spinal puncture with headaches, infection, bleeding inside the Epidural, nerve damage, etc.

The other adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections are linked to the side effects of cortisone such as increasing weight, rising blood sugar levels, water retention, suppression of body’s own natural production of cortisone etc. Sometimes the adverse reaction of epidural steroid injections cannot be seen at once, they arise after sometime.