Cortisone Injection in Spine Under Fluoroscopic Guidance

No special preparation is required. Simply bring your up-to-date medication list with you on the day of your treatment.

Some procedures can have side effects that may interfere with driving. You should therefore arrange for an accompanying person or other means of transport. If this is not possible, you may need to spend some extra time in the clinic following the injection. You will be able to safely return to your car afterward.

You must inform the medical team on the day of the procedure. No preparation is necessary before the first appointment.

In most cases, yes, but it is recommended to be accompanied in the following situations:

• The first time you’ve had spinal injection
• You are anxious/stressed about the injection procedure
• You have experienced loss of consciousness after injection in the past (vagal shock)
• An injection in the neck is planned. Some patients feel dizzy a few minutes after the injection
• A transforaminal epidural injection (also known as a foraminal block) is envisaged. Your leg or arm may feel numb in the minutes or hours following the injection, which may interfere with driving.

Please inform the medical team on the day of your injection. After the injection, our team will keep you under observation to ensure that there are no side effects that could interfere with driving.

A few cases of paralysis following spinal injection have been reported worldwide, but these are extremely rare. Our physiatrists have specialized training in spinal injection and follow the international recommendations of the IPSIS (International Pain and Spine Intervention Society) to ensure safety and avoid the risk of complications. Do not hesitate to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

No. The aim is to reduce the pain so that you can return to your normal activities and carry out a program of muscle re-education, which is the cornerstone of treatment for spinal problems.

It is usually recommended to take a rest day on the day of the injection. However, there is no formal contraindication to working on the same day if absolutely necessary.

You can discuss this with your doctor, depending on your work and medical condition.

You can postpone or cancel your appointment in the following situations:

• You are taking antibiotics for an infection (regardless of location).
• Symptoms of COVID-19 or gastroenteritis
• Spinal surgery scheduled in less than 3 months
• If you have any other type of surgery scheduled in less than 3 months, ask your surgeon if cortisone injection is possible.
• You no longer experience any pain or it is gone.

Cortisone: a powerful anti-inflammatory to reduce pain.

A local anaesthetic (a drug that freezes, like at the dentist’s): to reduce pain in the days following the injection.

The list below is not exhaustive. See the question on the side effects of cortisone injection for more details.

Here are the main risks or possible side effects of sacroiliac injection with cortisone:

• leg numbness and discomfort in the sciatic nerve territory
• Other extremely rare complications have been described in the literature, but these are generally isolated, one-off cases.

• Generally 5 to 7 days.
• The intensity and duration of this improvement vary from person to person. At follow-up, your doctor will determine whether this type of injection is the right treatment for you.

Cortisone: a powerful anti-inflammatory to reduce pain.

A local anaesthetic (a drug that freezes, like at the dentist’s): to reduce pain in the days following the injection.

The list below is not exhaustive. Most symptoms are not dangerous. See Cortisone side effects for more details. Side effects of caudal epidural injection include:

• Allergic reaction to iodinated contrast material
• Leg numbness a few minutes/hours after injection. The anaesthetic may cause a temporary sensation of frozen limbs, like at the dentist. During this period, you may have difficulty walking. We advise you to be careful and not to drive a car.
• Other extremely rare complications have been described in the literature, but these are generally isolated cases.

• Cortisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory, to reduce pain.
• A local anesthetic, a drug that freezes like a dentist’s appointment, to reduce pain in the days following the injection.

The list below is not exhaustive. Please note that most symptoms following epidural injection are not dangerous. See cortisone side effects for more information.

• Allergic reaction to iodinated contrast material
• Numbness in the leg (lumbar injection) or arm (cervical injection) a few minutes/hours after injection. The anaesthetic may temporarily cause a sensation of frozen limbs, like at the dentist. During this period, you may have difficulty moving your limb. We recommend you to be careful and not to drive your car.
• Penetration of the dura mater: the needle may penetrate too deeply, piercing the envelope of the spinal cord and leaking cerebrospinal fluid. This usually presents with a severe headache within 24-48 hours of injection. The headache increases when the patient is standing up and decreases when lying down. The headache usually resolves on its own within a few days. If symptoms persist for longer, or are very uncomfortable, please contact a medical team.
• Other extremely rare complications have been described in the literature, but these are generally isolated, one-off cases.

You should notice an improvement within a few days of treatment, or within 4 to 6 weeks. Unlike other types of injection, improvement may take longer. It may be preceded by a period of increased pain lasting from a few days to 3 or 4 weeks. If this is the case, don’t worry and take painkillers during the pain period.

The intensity and duration of this improvement vary from person to person. At follow-up, your doctor will determine whether this type of injection is the right treatment for you.

A local anesthetic and cortisone are injected during this procedure. Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory that reduces pain from the facet joint. Local anesthetic is a drug that numbs the injection area to reduce pain in the days following the procedure.

The following list is not exhaustive, and the majority of symptoms following facet injection are not dangerous. Please refer to the side effects of cortisone for more details.

• Allergic reaction to iodinated contrast material
• Numbness and heaviness in the arm (if cervical injection) or leg (if lumbar injection). This may occur for a few hours and gradually subsides.
• Ecchymosis
• A few rare cases of paralysis associated with spinal injection of this type have been reported worldwide.

Improvement generally occurs after 5 to 7 days. The intensity and duration of improvement vary from person to person. At follow-up, your doctor will determine whether facet injection is the right treatment for you.