RA and cervical neck injections....

[Radiogirl]

Has anyone had any success with steroid neck epidural injections focusing on the facet joints and vertabrae? I've had 2 series of injections (7 or so each time.).

Instructions were to take it super easy for at least the first 5 days following the injections. So, naturally not feeling great with RD and having so much fatigue, it was easy to stay in bed for a great deal of those 5 days.

Each time, I thought, "This is great. I think this will really help." Unfortunately, once I got back to real life, the pain starts creeping back.

Anyone else experience this or have any suggestions?

[Doodleangel]

I also would like to know about these as I have been offered them through the pain clinic. I have been told that they can give relief for up to six months. Does the procedure hurt, I'm a whimp?

[Radiogirl in reply to Doodleangel]

The procedure is easy. They sedate you through an IV. You don't go all the way to sleep and don't need to be intubated (tube down your throat into your lungs for oxygen.). You're a little sore afterwards. Ice and pain meds help with that. Supposedly,it can take a couple of weeks before you can tell if it has helped or not. I'm still having a lot of neck pain, but hopefully more time will tell.

Good luck if you go in that direction. It can't hurt to try!

[Doodleangel in reply to Radiogirl]

Cheers for that, you have put my mind at rest. Hope you get some improvement 😊

[Radiogirl in reply to Doodleangel]

Thank you.

[Radiogirl in reply to Doodleangel]

I'm glad I could help in putting your mind at ease. Hugs to you. Hope you can get some relief.

[Fruitandnutcase]

I know it's not exactly the same as you are asking but many years ago I had a steroid epidural for a lower back problem. I don't think I had any sort of anaesthesia for it, the guy just went in - It didn't hurt, just felt a bit weird, I could feel 'pressure' as the injection went in, well the liquid was going into what was already a very tight place - that was what was causing my pain in the first place. It didn't last too long though then it was over.

I had been told to bring someone to drive me home in case I had any numbness. Me being me, don't like injections etc got into a state and ended up imagining myself being paralysed from the injection site down. I wasn't. I could have driven home, I did all the things talked about to rest and not carry things etc.

One day I carried a chicken home from the store, chicken in one bag, small bag of potatoes in the other and by the time I walked from the store to my house and boy, I really wished I hadn't and had I not needed the food for that night and not bern able to afford to buy food and dump it I would have been very tempted to leave it by the side of the road, fortunately no harm was done, but be sure to rest then take things easy afterwards.

My injection worked immediately and the effect lasted for a few years. I eventually had another injection which I thought didn't seem to work immediately but after a while I realised it had actually worked.

So good luck with it, hopefully it will work wonders for you too.

[Radiogirl in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

So glad to hear it worked for you!

[hawker955]

Interesting. I'm due to have this in about ten day's time!

[Radiogirl in reply to hawker955]

Sure hope it brings you some relief. Hugs!

[hawker955 in reply to Radiogirl]

Thank you. I've only had the pain on and off since I was aged about 14 so I cannot expect too much I think!!

[beeckey]

Not sure if it is the same thing but i had one a few years ago on my neck .It did help as i could not turn my head and in agony but my neck still feels a bit numb

[Radiogirl in reply to beeckey]

I'm glad to hear it helped. Sorry to hear about your numbness, though.

Hugs!