Boning Up on Steroids For Pain: The Verdict
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Over the years corticosteroids have taken a bad rap and as a result many chronic pain sufferers have shunned their use. I for one was hesitant to give it a try after an accident on the ski slopes left me searching for relief from constant, debilitating pain. When my pain specialist first suggested ESI (Epidural Steroid Injection) I immediately rejected the idea. Months later, having gotten minimal relief from other forms of pain management, I decided to do a little research. I learned that ESIs can be effective in pain management for a variety of chronic pain issues but is most effective in the management of chronic pain caused by irritation and inflammation of the spinal nerve roots in your low back (the lumbar region of your spine) known as radicular pain which can radiate to your hips, legs and feet. Yup, that definitely sounded familiar.
As I began digging, I found myself coming across more and more reasons to try ESIs than reasons not to. So, I gave them a whirl. I’m certainly glad that I did. After my first injection I was amazed to find that my pain all but disappeared and as the days turned into weeks my pain stayed away … for almost 3 months! My second injection lasted nearly 10 months after which I no longer required treatment. Looking back, I wish I had tried ESI right away, it would have made those early weeks and months after my accident so much easier, both physically and emotionally. It would have been a lot easier for my wife & kids too, they suffered a lot as I struggled with my pain-induced limitations and drastic mood swings. Pain can be an all-encompassing force that literally changes who you are and I didn’t like who I was becoming. That’s when I started to consider ESI.
ESIs deliver anti-inflammatory medication – steroids/corticosteroids – directly into the area around the spinal nerve roots in the low back. These nerve roots communicate with your entire body and, when pitched or inflamed, send pain signals to the brain. ESIs reduce swelling and the resultant pain signals that can make your life miserable. ESIs are a great choice for a variety of issues: sciatica, herniated disk, degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, neurogenic claudication and axial back pain.
Prepping for your ESI is simple, the injections are given by highly trained medical professionals, and take about 10 minutes to administer. The side effects are few and the results are, in my experience, very effective and long lasting. To investigate ESIs further go to hopkinsmedicine.org
Elite Pain Queens Back Neck Knee PRP & Cortisone Injections by Dr Y. Abrakhimov NYC 62-40 Woodhaven Blvd Suite p17, Queens, NY 11374 (718) 200-8846 https://www.elitepainqueens.com/.
