Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help relieve pain and fever. While usually taken orally, they may also be injected. Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) offer pain relief, as well. It’s important to understand the way each method works to choose the best solution for you.
Healthcare providers administer about nine million ESIs each year in the United States. At Interventional Pain Consultants in Parsippany, Montclair, and Landing, New Jersey, pain management physicians Kevin Elaahi, MD, and Benjamin Kim, MD, offer ESIs as well as a variety of other non-surgical solutions for effective pain relief.
Our team uses ESIs to relieve pain conditions that are rooted in your back or neck. By delivering corticosteroid medication directly into the epidural space of your spine, ESIs can help relieve pain caused by:
These injections also ease other painful inflammatory issues.
There are distinct differences between ESIs and NSAIDs, including:
Oral NSAIDs pose a myriad of potential side effects, including:
NSAID injections, rather than pills, may reduce their side effects in some cases. Although ESIs also present side effects, they tend to be minimized since the medication is injected directly into the pain site.
NSAIDs and steroids work differently. NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium, block your body from creating certain chemicals responsible for inflammation. They reduce overall inflammation, fever, pain, and stiffness.
ESIs, on the other hand, target the specific area causing pain. The steroid covers your irritated nerve(s) to reduce swelling and pressure, allowing time to heal.
ESIs target specific nerves and are far more potent than NSAIDs. The injected steroids generally start working within one to three days, with full benefits occurring in about a week.
Our team may recommend a series of injections over time, along with physical therapy when appropriate, to achieve the best outcome. While NSAIDs work rapidly to relieve pain, they must be taken repeatedly for sustained pain relief.
While NSAIDs wear off in a number of hours, pain relief from ESIs can last from six months to a year, depending upon your issue and the steroids used. By directly focusing on the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord, ESIs work to protect your nerves from damage, providing a longer-lasting solution compared to NSAIDs.
After performing a thorough physical and analyzing your diagnostic imaging results (i.e., CT scan, ultrasound test, MRI scan, and/or X-ray test), our team can determine whether ESIs or another course of action may serve you best.
During the ESI procedure, you lie on an X-ray table while Dr. Elaahi or Dr. Kim:
After the injection, we monitor you until you’re ready to leave. We suggest having someone take you home, since you may experience temporary numbness in your lower extremities for a few hours. You should be fine to resume normal activities the next day.
If you’re looking for relief from nerve pain, ESIs offer a direct path, while NSAIDS help with broader inflammation. Whether you suffer from back pain, neck problems, or other spine-related conditions, ESIs may enhance your healing and overall quality of life without some of the unwanted side effects of NSAIDs.
Ready to put your pain in the rear view mirror? Schedule an appointment at your nearest Interventional Pain Consultants office in Parsippany, Montclair, or Landing, New Jersey today.
