Epidural Steroid Injections
An epidural steroid injection (ESI) delivers anti-inflammatory medication directly to the space around an inflamed spinal nerve — the epidural space. When a herniated disc or spinal stenosis irritates a nerve root, the resulting inflammation drives pain down the arm or leg. Calming that inflammation at its source can break the pain cycle in a way pills often can't. Big Ideas, Real Impact. Facing a herniated disc decision? Read our in-depth guide: herniated disc — injection vs. surgery.
Epidural Steroid Injections
FAQs
How long does relief last?
Typically weeks to a few months — highly individual. The rehab you do during that window is what determines whether pain returns.
How many can I have?
Generally up to 3–4 per year at most, and only if they're clearly helping. Repeating an injection that didn't help isn't our style.
Does it hurt?
Pressure and brief discomfort, less than most patients fear. Local anesthetic does most of the work.
CTA: Call 720-749-5599 (CO) / 602-325-2024 (AZ).
Who it helps
ESIs are most useful for radiating nerve pain: sciatica from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis leg pain, and cervical radiculopathy (nerve pain into the arm). They help less with purely axial back pain — and we'll tell you honestly if your pattern isn't a good fit.
What the procedure is like
Performed in-office under fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance by our pain management physicians. After numbing the skin, the physician guides a thin needle to the target level, confirms placement with contrast dye, and delivers the medication. The procedure itself takes about 15 minutes; plan on under an hour door-to-door. Most patients drive home with a driver, resume normal activity the next day, and feel the steroid take effect within 2–7 days.
Risks, plainly
Serious complications are rare when performed image-guided by trained physicians. Common and minor: temporary soreness, a short-lived pain flare, facial flushing, or elevated blood sugar in diabetics for a few days. We limit steroid injections to a sensible number per year and always weigh them against your overall picture — tell us about blood thinners, infections, or diabetes.
The honest framing
An epidural is not a cure — it's a window. Relief typically lasts weeks to months, and the evidence is clearest for short-term improvement in nerve-related pain. The point of that window is what you do with it: patients who use the relief to complete physical therapy and rebuild strength get the durable outcome. An injection followed by nothing usually means the pain returns to baseline. That's why every ESI at Mountain View comes bundled with an active rehab plan, not instead of one.