Herbal Remedy Articles
The case for and against epidural injections for sciatica Article courtesy of Native Remedies
heels. Due to certain physical contortions in the vertebras the nerve is sometimes compressed and causes sciatica pain. Sciatica pain, as it travels down the entire length of the nerve, can be extremely tortuous and unbearable at times. This makes pain management an integral part of any sciatic nerve treatment. One of the methods by which physicians attempt to alleviate severe pain is epidural anesthesia. An epidural is a process that injects steroids directly into the epidural space in the spine. The epidural space is the space between the dura mater, a membrane, and the vertebral wall that is just outside the dural sac. This area is filled with fat and small blood vessels. The dural sac surrounds the nerve roots and the cerebrospinal fluid that the nerve roots are immersed in. An epidural injection is usually recommended for relieving severe pain and in cases where rehabilitation is inhibited. It takes about 15 to 30 minutes to administer an epidural steroid injection and the needle is directed to the epidural space with the aid of live x-rays, a technique known as fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy is essential to direct the medication to the intended area. Once the needle is in place the medication, an epidural steroid solution, is injected. The patient is observed for about half an hour and then allowed to go home. Epidural steroid injections can be very beneficial in cases of severe pain where sciatica alternative remedies like exercise, active rehabilitation, improvement in diet and activity modification fail to produce results. Although the effects of the epidural injections tend to be temporary, they are successful in providing relief from incidents of severe pain and allow any rehabilitation program to be completed in relative comfort. Corticosteroids have been tested as being effective for removing inflammation. Sometimes a flushing solution like normal saline is used to flush out inflammatory proteins from the area. The effectiveness of an epidural is enhanced because it delivers the medication directly in the area causing trouble. In cases where a patient does not respond to epidural steroid injections any further administration becomes redundant as, in all probabilities that too will prove futile. However, where the first injection provides minor relief, a second and third injection in a period of one year can be safely administered. An epidural injection as such has very minor risks limited to 0.01 to 0.5 percent of cases, the steroid medication, does have side effects such as: * Temporary decrease in immunity * Stomach ulcers * Severe arthritis of the hips * Cataracts * High blood sugar * Increased appetite * Flushing Epidurals are not prescribed for: * Patients with a local or systemic bacterial infection or bleeding problems * Pregnant women * Patients where a tumor or infection is suspected Extreme caution is required in uncontrolled medical conditions like a congestive heart failure, diabetes, allergy to the epidural solution or in cases where aspirin or anti-platelet drugs are being taken. The option lies between extreme discomfort of agonizing pain or the risk ratio of an epidural steroid injection. |
| Thank You for Visiting Purchase Remedies.com |
