Immediate and longer-term relief from pain so you can focus on getting better. 

A fluoroscopic spinal injection is a minimally-invasive procedure undertaken when a patient suffers from severe arm, leg, neck, or back pain. The procedure has two key goals – one, to work out the exact cause and location of the patient’s pain, and two, to provide relief from that pain. This is done by injecting a mixture of local anesthetic and a steroid, such as cortisone. If the patient experiences immediate pain relief, this will be from the local anesthetic and will mean that the correct cause of the pain has been determined. The cortisone, or other steroid, is there to reduce inflammation and pain in the longer-term.

In a fluoroscopic spinal injection, a fluoroscope – or X-ray – is used to guide the needle into the exact location which your physician believes is causing you pain.

The goal of this procedure is to reduce your pain so that you may resume your normal activities and begin a course of physical therapy to help treat the cause of your back pain. Fluoroscopic spinal injections are often used on patients suffering from spinal stenosis, back pain, herniated discs, degenerative discs, sciatica, and more.

Key information 

  • This is a minimally-invasive procedure which requires no sedation (although sedation is available) and can be done in our office
  • The procedure usually takes 15-30 minutes
  • If the procedure is successful, it is considered reasonable to repeat it up to 3 times a year, based on the patient’s individual response and requirements.
  • If the treated region is indeed the cause of the patient’s pain, the patient may experience immediate pain relief, and longer-lasting pain relief 2-5 days after the injection
  • This procedure should not be performed on anyone who is pregnant, has an infection, or suffers from bleeding problems