All-Star Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections

I would also appreciate anyone willing to just give an opinion on the matter. Thanks again

It's a temporary fix at best and will not correct the underlying problem, only relieve some pain. I would be careful with it as they can lead to you feeling better and doing things that cause further damage. I have had them in my knee, and MIL had the epidurals. I think it is important that you are also dealing with the underlying reason for the pain. I have seen athletes do major damage by relying on cortisone.

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My son had three rounds of epidural injections before he ended up having spine surgery. He did not get any relief at all.

Funfunfun said:

My son had three rounds of epidural injections before he ended up having spine surgery. He did not get any relief at all.

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That's my biggest concern, I have arthritis, herniated and bulging discs, and spondylolysis which has now progressed to spondylolythesis. I know it's only a matter of time before I'll need surgery, but I only have two more years of all star cheer and I've done it all my life. I guess I'm just trying to buy some time? Get through two years. But thank you very much for the insight.

cheer25mom said:

It's a temporary fix at best and will not correct the underlying problem, only relieve some pain. I would be careful with it as they can lead to you feeling better and doing things that cause further damage. I have had them in my knee, and MIL had the epidurals. I think it is important that you are also dealing with the underlying reason for the pain. I have seen athletes do major damage by relying on cortisone.

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I've heard a lot of girls who had that exact problem. Thank you.

The bottom line is you have many years of life ahead of you......do u want to be permanently in pain because you pushed thru 2 more years of cheer? You could permanently do damage to your body because you covered up the pain momentarily with a shot. Listen to your body, it comes first over the love of cheer.

@aubreysheffield Are you dealing with an orthopedic surgeon, a rheumatologist, general practitioner or someone else right now? The reason I ask is, I would ultimately talk to a surgeon. Most insurance companies don't pay doctors for consults anymore, so that may be an out of pocket expense, however, you can ask him/her their thoughts and if a history of steroid injections could complicate surgery in any way. Also, not to start a debate on Obamacare but, I would ask a potential surgeon if they know of any changes, positive or negative, coming around the corner that could affect your treatment plan, surgery, etc. Best of luck and take good care of yourself!

Please take the time to see a neurosurgeon, they tend to have a different approach than an orthopedic.

I'm wondering what kind of doc you're seeing for your care? Pain management office vs neuro vs back/spine doc. At your age I fear what all this is doing to your young body! The injections fix nothing, more like a bandaid for a very serious issue. By 40 you're going to be thinking "what was I thinking?" lol As a nurse and as a runner with back issues I'm hoping you and your family will seek other opinions before making any big decisions

eta- not nagging like a mom more like a nurse

I can really appreciate the pain that you are experiencing, I too have bulging discs. I have never had any injections but a very good friend was in so much pain that it took him 30 minutes to get out of bed. He had the injections and was able to return to normal activity very quickly. He is seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis for his back health which I would also recommend for you. I also am a chiropractic patient as is both of my CPs. In my opinion, back surgery would be the last resort. The injections in conjunction with chiropractic care should relieve the pain. I would also add in regular massages for your overall health.

I had my back broken in several places in 1999. I have had numerous surgeries and I have those shots. Sometimes they work and sometimes not. You are young and the back is very serious. While the shots can reduce swelling, they do not fix. Please make sure you talk to a specialist. This can cause serious issues for life. Even surgery isn't a guarantee, they can often lead to other issues. With the shots, they can mask pain and just because it isn't hurting doesn't mean it's fixed. Be very careful. I know Birmingham at the Kirkland Clinic have amazing doctors. I have had numerous surgeries, joint replacements and was told I would never walk again. Yet here I am walking. Please be careful.

definitely agree consulting with a neurosurgeon.

I have had both cervical and thoracic epidurals due to 13 herniations in my back (car crash and a second accident a year later).

They are usually done in a series of three injections under local aneistha at a hospital or surgery center. Time commitment was doc appt, procedure a week later, check up with doc the following week and then another procedure two weeks later.

I got some relief from it that would last about 4-6 months. You might feel s little sore for three days, but my pain decreased a little and my mobility did increase a bit. As others said, it is more of a bandaid that could get help you through competition season, but it definitely isn't a cure.

I went thru almost every treatment possible. There were three other treatments helped more. Spinal decompression (done by a chiro), PRP treatments which were done post surgery (on my shoulder), and then the actual fusions done in my back.

I would suggest going to an orthopedic hospital to get opinions . I dealt with HSS in NYC and they were fabulous. They (ortho, nuerologist, and alternative docs) worked together to create a treatment plan that took into "my" considerations (other injuries that needed to be dealt with). I am sure that you will be able to find a group of docs that will take into consideration your goals of competing for two more years, along with figuring out what that extra stress could do to your body if you wait for it to be dealt with in surgery.

If you have any questions feel free to sk or PM,good luck!