A 34-year-old member asked:
What are the common risks of epidural steroid injections?
4 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Greg Khounganiananswered
Orthopedic Surgery 19 years experience
Rare: In the hands of someone experienced epidural injections are very safe. They are done often under light sedation and utilize x-ray for proper placement. Most common risks are dural puncture leading to a leak of cerebrospinal fluid. This can lead to headaches. Once recognized there are ways to treat this. Other risks are injection site pain, infection and bleeding.
6.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Muhammad Itanianswered
Anesthesiology 29 years experience
Epidural complicatio: The general risks of epidural injections (steroids or other wise) are: infection (meningitis, epidural abscess), bleeding, back pain localized to injection site (may last up to 3 weeks), nerve injury and accidental dural puncture causing headaches.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Qamar Khananswered
Pain Management 18 years experience
Like Any Other Inj: The worse part of an epidural injection is typically the local anesthetic administered to numb the skin. After that the needle typically feels like pressure. However as the needle enters the spinal canal or around the nerve root there can be some pain that is transient. Complications can be bleeding, infection, nerve damage and paralysis, but these are extremely rare.
3.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. David Rosenfeldanswered
Pain Management 28 years experience
Minimal: Localized increase in pain.
Non-positional headaches resolving within 24 hours.
Facial flushing.
Anxiety.
Sleeplessness.
Fever the night of injection.
High blood sugar.
A transient decrease in immunity because of the suppressive effect of the steroid.
683 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
CA
A 37-year-old member asked:
When do you need epidural steroid injections?
4 doctor answers • 14 doctors weighed in
Dr. Craig Mortonanswered
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 19 years experience
Failed other options: Epidurals are often used to help relieve pain from an inflammed disc or pinched nerve. These may be used to relieve back pain after a conservative trial of medication, physical therapy, and rest.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated May 24, 2017
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