Before Your Injection
Types of Injections
- There are many types of injections.
- Injections may have diagnostic or therapeutic effects.
Injection Procedure
- During this procedure you will lay comfortably on a special bed, usually on your belly.
- We will clean your skin with a special solution. A local anesthetic or numbing medicine will be given.
- A portable x-ray machine will usually be used to carefully view your spine and other bones.
- We ask that you remain very still for the x-ray – even moving your head a little changes the position of the rest of your body.
- Most of the procedure involves getting the right view with the x-ray machine.
- Some contrast solution may be given.
- At last, the injection itself is very precisely placed. It takes about 20 minutes.
- Our nurses will check on you before and after the procedure. Afterwards, we like to observe you for 20-30 minutes before you go home.
Communicate with Your Doctor
During the procedure, tell your doctor if you want to stop, if you feel bad pain, or if you feel pain going into your leg. Also tell your doctor if you feel bad in any way during the procedure. Keep in mind that these things usually do not happen.
Injection Benefits and Risks
- Most of the Spine Injection Clinic procedures are elective, meaning that you are not absolutely required to have them, but you may choose to do so.
- Bleeding, infection and allergy or adverse medication reaction are common side effects from medical procedures. Your risks are very small if: you are not on anticoagulants and do not have bleeding problems; you do not have recent fevers or infections and are not taking antibiotics for infections; you are not allergic to products we use.
- Sometimes people feel queasy, faint, or lightheaded when they have injections or have blood drawn.
- Sometimes the injection may not work to help your pain. Infrequently, injection can make pain worse temporarily. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.
- Infrequently, a headache from spinal fluid leak can happen after spine injections. Let us know if you have any new headaches after your injection.
- Sometimes the numbing medication can temporarily block the nerves that move your muscles. If this happens, it can cause weakness for several hours. This is one reason it is important not to drive a vehicle today. This temporary weakness can also increase your risk of falling for a few hours.
- We take spine procedures seriously. There have been people who have had injuries to nerves or spinal cord, or paralysis after spine procedures. We use the correct imaging techniques and protocols to prevent such injuries.
Pre-Injection Instructions
To view the pre-injection instructions, click here.
