Pain management and back injections....

[SabreKiller]

I posted this in the 2021 Workout Accountability thread and got no response to I thought I'd throw it out here. Thanks fellas.

I had an MRI done on my lower back on Monday. I've had a herniated L4/L5 for years and it was never bad enough to fix. Got the results yesterday and it ain't looking good. Arthritis in my back has caused S1/L5/L4/L3/L2/L1 to all be out of alignment with narrowing of the L4 nerve channel and the L1 nerve channel. The dr. said I have several herniated spots that she said look like popcorn kernels all along my lumbar spine. Effin' great.

I've had 5 surgeries in the last 10 years and I'm tired of being cut on. I want to keep surgery as a "I don't have any other choice" so she's referred my treatment to a pain management dr. here in town. I think we'll start with injections and see how that goes. I've done therapy before and that did nothing for me.

Anyone had the injections in your lower back? What are the long term repercussions of those shots? Do they ever stop working? Any side effects? How long do I have to wait to work out after the injections?

I got a ton of questions for him, but I'm hoping to get some real life experiences from this group.

[meathunter]

I have had the injections in my lower back and they were not successful for me. That does not mean they will not work for you. I thin it all comes down to severity of the issue in your back. I ended up having surgery and do not regret it at all.

[Walker]

I had all 3shots about 7 years ago. It was a miracle for me.

[JES]

I did injections and then nerve ablation and ended up having L5/S1 fusion. Injections can be effective and have worked for me until the herniation was too much to overcome with injections. This was 12 years ago for my first injections and then 10 years ago this week for my fusion.

I have been fighting more issues and have been doing injections the last year or so and am to the point I just booked my next surgery, fusing L3/4 and L4/5 at the end of January.

Try the injections, see if you get some relief, if not then you need to decide if you can live with the pain or not. If not, then don’t be afraid of the surgery. I wish I had done my first one sooner.

[raider19]

I had a series of injections a few years ago. The first one worked for about 2 weeks. The others didn't do anything. I would encourage you to try them. You never know. Best of luck to you. I hope it works

[12ring]

The injections gave me immediate relief. For about 2 wks.

[Black_foot_]

Have you tried going to a chiro?

[muddyfuzzy]

My BIL had them and they worked for him for a good while and improved his quality of life, my MIL had them multiple time with poor results. I have received similar treatment for my Morton’s neuroma in my right foot and it gave me immediate relief but the pain came back with a vengeance after a month or so. Seems like it a hit or miss treatment for folks.


[emoji1662]

[SabreKiller]

Have you tried going to a chiro?

Yes, two different chiros in fact. They did nothing for me. Physical therapy worked 1 time. They did traction and I felt like a new man the next day. Lasted for a week. It never worked that well again.

So, it sounds like I'm only gong to get 2 weeks of relief is what people are saying? Wow, that's going to get expensive on my insurance. Plus the fact that I have to go back every two weeks. Hmmm.

[RR 314]

What do you mean arthritis has caused 6 vertebral bodies to be out of alignment? Did your doctor state you have spondylolisthesis at 6 contiguous levels?

[RR 314]

Yes, two different chiros in fact. They did nothing for me. Physical therapy worked 1 time. They did traction and I felt like a new man the next day. Lasted for a week. It never worked that well again.

So, it sounds like I'm only gong to get 2 weeks of relief is what people are saying? Wow, that's going to get expensive on my insurance. Plus the fact that I have to go back every two weeks. Hmmm.

You won't be going back every two weeks. Nobody would do repeat ESIs without significant improvement. Insurance would not approve continued ESIs either. Certainly not with results of relief for 2 weeks.

[SabreKiller]

What do you mean arthritis has caused 6 vertebral bodies to be out of alignment? Did your doctor state you have spondylolisthesis at 6 contiguous levels?

I think that's the term she used. I'm not 100% positive though.

[RR 314]

I think that's the term she used. I'm not 100% positive though.

Sounds like that is what is going on with resultant stenosis at a couple levels. They may prescribe a couple ESIs, but ask the doctor what level of instability/slippage you have at each level. They grade the same 1-4 based on percentage of slippage. Sounds like you have stenosis at two levels presently and very well may respond to ESIs. Good luck with everything and hope you are at the grade 1 stage!

[Puggy625]

Had three rounds of the shots. First set lasted about a year. Second about 3 weeks. Third round didn't do anything for me. It's my opinion that the shots are only a bandaid if you have anything seriously going on, which it sounds like you do. Try a round and see what happens, but if it doesn't last more than a few weeks, get started on surgery plans. The longer you wait, the more damage you're doing. Wish I had done it sooner, then I might have avoided 4 level fusion. Best wishes.

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[Dmck]

I've had the shots multiple times and at first i had around three months relief and it started to get down where it was only several weeks. Had a rhizotomy and had great results and then when the nerve came back it was the worst pain up to that point.
Had first surgery in 2010 and it lasted for five years. They did a Laminectomy and it really helped.
Back started giving me trouble again in 2016 and I just pushed through it. I have lifted weights most of my life and was not ready to give it up. I was a board operator and the sitting was killing my back so I went to a new doctor and he performed surgery in 2019. I went out on STD in july and will go LTD in March. As long as I walk and stay active I'm good for now.
New treatments are coming out so there is hope for all of us.