At Integrative Sports & Spine in Riverside, we perform epidural steroid injections for patients experiencing persistent back and leg pain caused by spinal nerve compression or disc injury. Using precise imaging guidance, we deliver targeted treatment to reduce inflammation and restore mobility. Each plan is tailored to help patients return to work and daily activity with less pain.
An epidural steroid injection is a minimally invasive procedure that delivers anti-inflammatory medication directly into the epidural space of the spine, the area surrounding the spinal cord and nerve roots. Unlike oral medications that circulate throughout your entire body, ESIs place a precise dose of corticosteroid exactly where inflammation is causing your pain.
How ESIs Relieve Pain: Nerve pain in the back, neck, and extremities is often the result of inflamed or compressed spinal nerves. The injected corticosteroid works by reducing inflammation around irritated nerve roots, decreasing swelling in surrounding soft tissues, interrupting the pain signal cycle that keeps discomfort chronic, and creating a window of relief that allows you to engage more fully in physical therapy and rehabilitation.
For Riverside patients who have tried oral medications, chiropractic care, or physical therapy without sufficient relief, epidural steroid injections offer a targeted next step before considering surgical options.
Our Riverside clinic specializes in using ESIs to address a broad range of spinal and nerve-related conditions:
•Herniated or bulging discs in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy
• Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerves in the neck)
• Degenerative disc disease
• Bone spurs causing nerve compression
• Failed conservative therapy for back or neck pain
• Post-surgical pain syndromes
• Spondylolisthesis
• Facet joint-related nerve irritation
If you've been told surgery is your only option, or if pain medications are no longer providing adequate relief, an epidural steroid injection may be an effective bridge to recovery.
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Most patients notice a reduction in pain within three to seven days of their injection. Some experience relief sooner, while others may take up to two weeks. The duration of relief varies by individual and condition but commonly lasts several weeks to several months.
This depends on your response to the first injection and the nature of your condition. Most guidelines recommend no more than three injections within a 12-month period for any given spinal level. Your physician will recommend the appropriate number during your consultation.
Epidural steroid injections have a long, well-documented safety record in pain management. Like any procedure, there are small risks, which your physician will discuss with you in detail during your consultation. Image guidance significantly reduces those risks by ensuring accurate needle placement.
Most patients do not require sedation. Local anesthetic is applied to the injection site to minimize discomfort. If you feel anxious about the procedure, speak with your care team and we'll do everything possible to make you comfortable.
We recommend arranging for someone to drive you home following your procedure, particularly if you received any sedative medication.
Treated for lumbar herniated disc
"I had shooting pain down my left leg for almost a year. I couldn't sit through a work meeting, let alone sleep through the night. After two epidural injections and physical therapy, I'm back to normal life. I'm so glad I tried this before agreeing to surgery."
Treated for spinal stenosis
"My lower back pain was constant. Standing in my kitchen to cook dinner felt impossible. The epidural injection gave me weeks of significant relief, and that window let me strengthen my back through therapy. I feel like myself again."
Treated for sciatica
"I'm a construction supervisor and I can't afford to be off my feet. The sciatica was unbearable like electricity shooting down my leg. The injection worked faster than I expected. I was back on the job site within a week."
Chronic back and neck pain doesn't have to define your daily life. Our Riverside pain management team is ready to evaluate your condition and develop a treatment plan built around your goals, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Call (833) 476-7377 or fill out our online form to book an appointment at any of our four Southern California locations.
For more information about our other locations, visit:
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