Therapeutic & Diagnostic Injections

Epidural Spinal Injections (ESI): An epidural steroid injection is a fairly simple, nonsurgical procedure that treats pain and can serve as a diagnostic tool. Conditions typically treated include sciatica and other conditions in which the nerves become irritated, such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis.

The doctor injects a combination of local anesthetic and steroid drugs either directly into the collection of nerves in the back or into the joint spaces of the spine.

The benefits to epidural steroid injections are three-fold:

• Injecting steroids into the epidural space helps reduce the inflammation of the nerves, nerve roots, or nerve coverings, which are the source of leg pain.
• The steroids serve as a temporary form of pain relief so the body can begin its natural healing process.
• An epidural steroid injection is a good diagnostic tool because its blockage of the nerve pinpoints the source of your pain.

A majority of patients experience significant pain relief after just one steroid injection. However, some patients may need to undergo the procedure two or three times to reap the full benefits of the treatment. 

There are other types of steroid injections which treat back and neck: Transforaminal and Caudal.

To learn more about our therapeutic and diagnostic injection services,  please call (973) 538-2334 or request an appointment online.