Posted On October 4, 2017 Personal Injury

Epidural Steroid Injection

When you,ve been in an accident that has resulted in significant neck, arm, back, or leg pain, it could be caused by inflamed or damaged spinal nerves. An epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a temporary procedure to help relieve this pain so you can resume your normal lifestyle. This procedure is minimally invasive and often very helpful, but it can still be costly. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t be left with the brunt of the medical expenses. The New Jersey epidural steroid injection attorneys at Console & Associates P.C. are here to help you pursue a personal injury claim against the at-fault party,s insurance company to receive compensation for not only your medical bills, but your physical and emotional pain and any other losses you may be facing. Call (856) 778-5500 and let us start working on your claim today.

What is an Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI)?

During an ESI, various corticosteroids and numbing agents are administered with a needle into the epidural space in the spine, which is the area filled with fat and blood vessels in between the protective covering of the spinal cord and the bony vertebrae.

How Do Steroids Work?

ESI is beneficial for patients whose pain is caused by conditions that have painfully compressed their spinal nerves, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Steroids are used to decrease the inflammation that accompanies this painful pressure, and thereby relieve the nerves. While the pain relief is temporary, it can last for months depending upon the severity of your injury. This time frame can allow you to undergo physical therapy and exercise for your injury pain-free.

The following injuries are often sustained in accidents and can be candidates for an ESI:

• Spondylolysis: A vertebrae (spinal bones) slips forward and compresses nerves.
• Herniated disc: The gel-like material within the discs that cushion your vertebrae can bulge or rupture through a weak area in the discs, outer wall. Irritation, pain, and swelling occur when this material squeezes out and impinges on spinal nerves. The pain may course along entire nerve pathways that run through your legs and arms.
• Spinal dislocation or fracture: Traumatic accidents may dislocate or fracture the spine, causing bone fragments to compress nerves in the spinal canal.

The injection can be made into your lower back or neck, depending upon where your injury is located. Your pain can be relieved in as little as 15 minutes, but may take up to two weeks.

What Type of Accidents Can Require an ESI?

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Slip-and-falls
• Bike accidents
• Pedestrian accidents

The personal injury attorneys at Console & Associates P.C. have a track record for achieving successful results for people with serious injuries. If you are coping with the impact of an accident that wasn’t your fault, we will focus the full energies of our firm on maximizing the value of your claim and getting you every dollar you deserve. Call our office today at (856) 778-5500 for a free, no-risk case evaluation.