Our Procedure

Healthcare providers use cervical epidural steroid injections (ESIs) as a temporary pain relief option for certain causes of chronic neck pain. They inject an anti-inflammatory medication into the epidural space around your spinal nerves. About 40% to 84% of people who receive cervical ESIs experience temporary pain relief.

The cervical epidural injection delivers a combination of a local anesthetic and a steroid medication directly into the epidural space, which surrounds the spinal cord and spinal nerves. The steroid medication helps reduce inflammation and irritation of the nerves, while the anesthetic provides immediate pain relief.

Your healthcare provider may recommend a cervical epidural steroid injection if you experience:

• Chronic neck pain
• Arm pain or numbness
• Tingling sensations in the arms or hands
• Weakness in the arms or hands

These symptoms are often caused by conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or radiculopathy (pinched nerves).

Before the procedure, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown and lie down on an examination table. Your healthcare provider will clean the injection site and may administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. Using fluoroscopy (live X-ray) for guidance, a thin needle is inserted into the epidural space in your neck. Once the needle is in the correct position, the medication is injected. You may feel pressure or a slight pinch during the injection, but it is generally well tolerated. The entire procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes.

You may experience some relief immediately after the injection due to the local anesthetic. However, it may take a few days for the steroid medication to take full effect. You may resume normal activities the day after the procedure, although your healthcare provider may recommend avoiding strenuous activities for a short period.

While cervical epidural steroid injections are considered safe, as with any medical procedure, there are potential risks and complications, including:

• Temporary increase in pain
• Infection at the injection site
• Nerve damage
• Allergic reaction to the medication

Your healthcare provider will discuss these risks with you before the procedure and answer any questions you may have.