Injections

[Deejojo]

Why would my consultant want me to have an injection in my back when it's my knees that have oa in them but I do suffer with a. Bulging disc ???? Confused ????

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Deejojo. Is it possible it's bursitis in your knee & that's whats causing your swelling at the mo, not your OA & he's not suggesting an injection for your knees rather one for your back to ease your pain there? If your knees are painful with the OA & if it is swelling caused by bursitis it may help too. Don't really know but it may help both, two for the price of one!!

[Deejojo in reply to nomoreheels]

No Hun I don't have bursitis just all my cartlidge has gone in both knees x

[nomoreheels in reply to Deejojo]

Sorry Deejojo, don't know then. If your knees are particularly painful I'd ask if it's at all possible to have an injection in them as well, though not sure if it would be done at the same time. I feel for you as mine are so sore at the mo too with OA but been left to struggle on with NSAIDs & they're not helping much at all.

[oldtimer]

back pain can also give you pain in your knees. He may think that the bulging disc in your back is causing referred pain. He can't do anything for the OA in the knees perhaps? If you don't understand why not ask him?

[wishbone]

Apologies for going a bit off topic, but are there injections available for discal back pain (?) as I also have a bulging disc in lower spine. My GP advised me to avoid surgery if possible, which I'll obviously do. That said, I don't think I could put up with another bout of sciatica should it return..god forbid, as I was recently laid up for over 3 months with it.

[angel-delight in reply to wishbone]

Hi, I don't have pain in my knees at the moment but I am in agony with pain in my back as I too have a bulging disc. I have had an epidural about 5 mths ago and have done well up to now. I have just moved 2 weeks ago, packing and unpacking has caused it to flare up. I called my specialist earlier today and I have an appointment for another epidural in 3 weeks which is great. I wish it could be sooner but if i changed specialist and had to have a referral and wait to see another specialist it would have taken a lot longer. i like the specialist I have at Stepping Hill hospital as it never hurts, I have heard that some people actually scream in pain when they have the injection. Good luck, I really do hope the injection works for you and I do sympathize with your back pain, I can hardly walk at the moment whilst trying to work a couple of days a week. Take care, S

[angel-delight in reply to wishbone]

Hi wishbone,

I had a very large bulge in my lower disc and saw a specialist who gave me several epidurals which consist of anti-inflammatory and steroid. I didn't find the injections painful, what I did find was that they gave me relief for about 6 months at a time. The last one I had was last January and the specialist could't see the bulge, he said it must have shrunk, which happens sometimes. It has been a year since I had my last MRI and I also moved last

August so I decided to change specialist to one closer. I was asked to have another MRI, I am waiting for the results. The MRI was April 4th, and I asked the receptionist if she could arrange to chase up the results. The first MRI I had at Stepping Hill Hospital the specialist there called me 2-3 days later to say I needed to have surgery. Now he is telling me the bulge has shrunk and I no longer need to have surgery. I am hoping that because it is taking so long for the hospital to get in touch is confirmation that the bulge has shrunk.

I has sciatica also, down my right side and I can understand why no one would want to go through that pain again.

Take care, s

[Deejojo]

Mine just goes every so often there wanting me to have an epidural injection in my back but I'm dreading it but my consultant that is treating me for my knees is wanting to do an injection but don't know what type yet as I'm not back to see him till 22 nd sept after my hols x

[wishbone]

Thanks Deejojo, I always thought that an epidural was a short term anesthetic used for ops etc. Unfortunately I'm not under a consultant for my back so foresee a problem in how long I would have to wait for an epidural should my sciatica return. I had enough of a wait getting adequate pain relief when I had sciatica, I was eventually given diazepam and slow release morphine tablets, which did help, but made me feel really ill. It also caused me to have hallucinations, though some of those were quite pleasant it must be said. My back has been ok for several weeks, it still niggles if I'm on my feet for long periods but I can easily cope with that. Fingers crossed the sciatica doesn't return, the pain was excruciating on times.

Good luck with the injections, I'm sure they won't be as bad as you think.

[earthwitch]

If you are confused, then don't have the injection until you have asked a few more questions about why he wants it in your back and what he is going to do about your knees. It is possible he has got it wrong and has ordered the back injection because of the disc problem,thinking that is your main problem,but then its also possible the knee pain could be coming from your back. You do need to check though.