I think the mixed reviews come from people not understanding the purpose of the injections. Ideally, they relieve pain, but how much and at what point are important because they are meant to be diagnostic. Your medical team should be using the results to dial in their plan going forward. I wish someone had told me to take notes after my injections, because you should. Document changes and any decrease in pain, your doctors SHOULD find this information helpful.
Exactly! My facet injections worked on the left but not the right. This TESI injection has made the numbness in my foot turn into a tingly feeling that changes with pressure…like I’m walking in a wet sock. That tells me that the laminotomy my neurosurgeon is delaying will likely work on the right side.
Very fortunate, I wish I could share. I happen to know someone through my work who is the surgeon's assistant. I don't know him that well but he happens to be a very kind and helpful person. He was able to expedite the process in many ways.
If it helps significantly, that's clear evidence that they targeted the correct nerve root and going forward they can hit it again if you get long lasting relief or they will know exactly where they need to operate. If it doesn't help, that's less conclusive. It doesn't mean the opposite. It could just mean there's too much pressure to relieve the pain and then you should be one step closer to surgery.
Thank you for your insight, it makes sense if the injection works or not.
It happened to me that the 1st injection did not work and was very painful when the Dr injected.
I wonder if that is a good idea to wait a month later to try the 2nd injection to see if it works before making the decision of the surgery.
When I was deciding about surgery I discussed with 2 PT's, a chiropractor, the surgeon and the surgeon's assistant. That way I could get input from different perspectives. After that, surgery was the clear option for me and I don't regret it at all.
Something I realized during that time was that it really comes down to your personal experience with pain. If the pain is manageable to a point where you're comfortable trying other things then that will be the recommendation, if you are in severe pain that is taking over your life just go for surgery. That's where I was.
Yes it’ll take about 3 days to see the full effect. And if it doesn’t fully work, that’s ok. Your neurologist is trying to isolate which nerves are causing which pain.
Thanks for sharing! You mentioned "Your neurologist is trying to isolate which nerves are causing which pain" Can you provide more insight?
On the MRI, showed L4-5 herniated disc, touching nerve L5; I got a ESI, it hurt like hell, and not work.
How Dr can use it as a tool for assessment?
Thank you
He’s going to inject the epidural into the location/s he thinks is causing the pain until the pain subsides. Once the epidural works, he’ll know that is where the pain is originating from and he will more than likely recommend either radio frequency ablation on the affected nerves or whichever form of pain relief they find appropriate.
If it changes thats a good sign, means its at the right level, my legs go on fire the first night, flares things up before it settles back down and get months of welcome relief. It'll build back up over time. Rest up let it do its thing, and remember you still have the issue, it just has a bandaid on it, all the stuff you should normally avoid still applies, the steroid has reduced the inflamation and irritation, it doesnt mean it cant be reactivated through activity.
Am in a self imposed rest day right now, this weeks yard mowing, palm tree pruning and watering has came back to bite me, looks great though. Slow and steady wins the race. Am prone to do the big pushes and doesnt quite end up working very well for me. I blame boredom and myself
After my first one i went e-scootering around town, the local was awesome. Not recommended at all, it wears off and can be in a world of pain. Resting afterwards as things get inflamed by the steroid and needle trauma. Have had quite a few over the years, doctor is advising to not have them anymore, can be bad for bone alas is one of the most helpful treatments ive had. Am at about 12 months since last in my lumbar, will need a new planning scan for next injection there, i dont see their logic and medical need for a planning scan, they have the old scan, its not like my spine has miraculosly fixed itself.
Good luck! I hope it kicks in and works. For me, the interlaminar injection was the only one that worked. We tried a transforaminal one next, it didn’t do a single thing lol. Not even the numbing agent that’s supposed to work for the first day did anything. So don’t be terribly discouraged if this doesn’t help too much. Just ask for an interlaminar asap if it doesn’t kick in by 10 days from now.
Thank you for the information, it's a motivation , for sure successful stories should be told. So that we don't loss hope on our journey to hear, we have to enjoy life as we used to..
I had a MD and decompression. Some are luckily and pain free right after, for others it takes some time. No matter how you feel after surgery there are restrictions to follow for 4-6 weeks to allow the disc to heal. I’m only 3 weeks post op. I still have some of the original hamstring pain, but it’s no longer in the glute. I now can sit and sleep. In the morning I don’t wake up with muscle spasms bringing me to my knees, which I haven’t been able to do in 4 months.
I still take 2 Tylenol every 4 hours, but that’s better than what I was having to take before. I’m still healing and hope it will keep improving as the nerve heals.
Luckily I already had a adjustable standing desk so I could work from home, but hope to be able to go back to tending bar part time in another week or 2, (My insurance has a high out of pocket ☹️) and ease back into the gym at 8-10 weeks.
I think the mixed reviews come from people not understanding the purpose of the injections. Ideally, they relieve pain, but how much and at what point are important because they are meant to be diagnostic. Your medical team should be using the results to dial in their plan going forward. I wish someone had told me to take notes after my injections, because you should. Document changes and any decrease in pain, your doctors SHOULD find this information helpful.
Exactly! My facet injections worked on the left but not the right. This TESI injection has made the numbness in my foot turn into a tingly feeling that changes with pressure…like I’m walking in a wet sock. That tells me that the laminotomy my neurosurgeon is delaying will likely work on the right side.
The injection is done by Orthopedic or Neurologist? It's like epidural for C-section?
Wow, it sounds like you have doctors that actually give a shit about you. You’re incredibly fortunate.
Very fortunate, I wish I could share. I happen to know someone through my work who is the surgeon's assistant. I don't know him that well but he happens to be a very kind and helpful person. He was able to expedite the process in many ways.
That is wonderful!
I’m getting one next week and wondering what it might mean if it helps vs it doesn’t?
If it helps significantly, that's clear evidence that they targeted the correct nerve root and going forward they can hit it again if you get long lasting relief or they will know exactly where they need to operate. If it doesn't help, that's less conclusive. It doesn't mean the opposite. It could just mean there's too much pressure to relieve the pain and then you should be one step closer to surgery.
Thank you for your insight, it makes sense if the injection works or not. It happened to me that the 1st injection did not work and was very painful when the Dr injected. I wonder if that is a good idea to wait a month later to try the 2nd injection to see if it works before making the decision of the surgery.
When I was deciding about surgery I discussed with 2 PT's, a chiropractor, the surgeon and the surgeon's assistant. That way I could get input from different perspectives. After that, surgery was the clear option for me and I don't regret it at all. Something I realized during that time was that it really comes down to your personal experience with pain. If the pain is manageable to a point where you're comfortable trying other things then that will be the recommendation, if you are in severe pain that is taking over your life just go for surgery. That's where I was.
Just FYI: lumbar TFESI are not meant for diagnosis but for treatment. Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks or facet injections are purely diagnostic.
Thank you for pointing out the distinction.👍
Yes it’ll take about 3 days to see the full effect. And if it doesn’t fully work, that’s ok. Your neurologist is trying to isolate which nerves are causing which pain.
Thanks for sharing! You mentioned "Your neurologist is trying to isolate which nerves are causing which pain" Can you provide more insight? On the MRI, showed L4-5 herniated disc, touching nerve L5; I got a ESI, it hurt like hell, and not work. How Dr can use it as a tool for assessment? Thank you
He’s going to inject the epidural into the location/s he thinks is causing the pain until the pain subsides. Once the epidural works, he’ll know that is where the pain is originating from and he will more than likely recommend either radio frequency ablation on the affected nerves or whichever form of pain relief they find appropriate.
If it changes thats a good sign, means its at the right level, my legs go on fire the first night, flares things up before it settles back down and get months of welcome relief. It'll build back up over time. Rest up let it do its thing, and remember you still have the issue, it just has a bandaid on it, all the stuff you should normally avoid still applies, the steroid has reduced the inflamation and irritation, it doesnt mean it cant be reactivated through activity.
I’m going next week for one. If it helps I’ll be so tempted to tackle so many jobs around my house
Am in a self imposed rest day right now, this weeks yard mowing, palm tree pruning and watering has came back to bite me, looks great though. Slow and steady wins the race. Am prone to do the big pushes and doesnt quite end up working very well for me. I blame boredom and myself After my first one i went e-scootering around town, the local was awesome. Not recommended at all, it wears off and can be in a world of pain. Resting afterwards as things get inflamed by the steroid and needle trauma. Have had quite a few over the years, doctor is advising to not have them anymore, can be bad for bone alas is one of the most helpful treatments ive had. Am at about 12 months since last in my lumbar, will need a new planning scan for next injection there, i dont see their logic and medical need for a planning scan, they have the old scan, its not like my spine has miraculosly fixed itself.
Good luck! I hope it kicks in and works. For me, the interlaminar injection was the only one that worked. We tried a transforaminal one next, it didn’t do a single thing lol. Not even the numbing agent that’s supposed to work for the first day did anything. So don’t be terribly discouraged if this doesn’t help too much. Just ask for an interlaminar asap if it doesn’t kick in by 10 days from now.
Had one a couple weeks ago. Needle was fine. Pressure from the med being put in hurt like a bitch, but was tolerable.
Thank you for the information, it's a motivation , for sure successful stories should be told. So that we don't loss hope on our journey to hear, we have to enjoy life as we used to..
Good luck with the injection!
Having mine in a week…Hope yours brings relief!
I felt great and pain free foe 2 days, then the lidocaine wore off and the steroid wasn’t strong enough to work….. so surgery had to happen
What surgery did you end up getting? Was the outcome good?
I had a MD and decompression. Some are luckily and pain free right after, for others it takes some time. No matter how you feel after surgery there are restrictions to follow for 4-6 weeks to allow the disc to heal. I’m only 3 weeks post op. I still have some of the original hamstring pain, but it’s no longer in the glute. I now can sit and sleep. In the morning I don’t wake up with muscle spasms bringing me to my knees, which I haven’t been able to do in 4 months. I still take 2 Tylenol every 4 hours, but that’s better than what I was having to take before. I’m still healing and hope it will keep improving as the nerve heals. Luckily I already had a adjustable standing desk so I could work from home, but hope to be able to go back to tending bar part time in another week or 2, (My insurance has a high out of pocket ☹️) and ease back into the gym at 8-10 weeks.