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Lumbar Nerve Root Injection

The spinal cord branches off into 31 pairs of nerve roots. These nerve roots exit on both sides of the spine through spaces between each vertebra. Compression or inflammation of these nerves in the lower back (lumbar spine) can cause symptoms including:

To diagnose and treat these symptoms, your doctor may use nerve root injections.

Purpose of diagnostic nerve root injections: If your physician can’t determine the specific cause of your pain using diagnostic imaging, such as an MRI or CT scan, temporarily numbing the suspicious spinal nerve root may help to identify the source of the pain.

Purpose of therapeutic nerve root injections: Injection of a steroid along the nerve root may be used as a treatment to help reduce irritation and swelling, thereby relieving pain. The steroid usually starts to work two days to two weeks after the injection. The pain relief varies for each individual, from no relief to long-term pain relief.

Types of nerve root injections

Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB): This is a diagnostic-only procedure. It tests to see if a specific nerve is causing pain by blocking it with a strong anesthetic. No steroid is used. The anesthetic may cause temporary numbness, tingling, and/or mild weakness in the affected leg. These symptoms and any pain relief only last until the anesthetic wears off.

Nerve Root Injection (NRI): This is a diagnostic and therapeutic injection. Both a strong anesthetic and steroid are used and injected around the nerve and into the epidural space.

Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection (TFESI): This is primarily a therapeutic procedure aimed at relieving pain when the physician knows which nerve is affected. A lighter anesthetic and steroid are injected around the nerve and epidural space.

Overview of the nerve root injection procedure

Here’s what to expect during a lumbar nerve root injection procedure:

Preparing for the nerve root injection

Possible side effects of the steroid

Side effects of steroid injections are usually minimal and go away within one to three days after the procedure. Possible side effects of the steroid include:

After the injection

Remember that your usual pain may go away for a few hours, but after the local anesthetic wears off, it is normal for your pain to return. The full effects of the steroid may take two days to two weeks to work, and its lasting effects vary from person to person. You may also have some temporary discomfort at the puncture site.

 Potential risks of nerve root injections

The risks of nerve root injections are minimal and are similar to any procedure involving a needle placement. These include, but are not limited to:

 If your procedure includes sedation

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive spine expertise

Summit’s spine care team is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for the comprehensive expertise of our patient-centered care. Our back specialists diagnose spine problems and design custom treatment plans built on a conservative, nonsurgical approach. Most patients find relief through treatments including guided injections, specialized physical therapy, biofeedback, exercise, activity modification, and medication. When conservative care does not relieve symptoms, our highly skilled surgeons offer proven, evidence-based surgical options. Together with you, we will determine the right course of action.

Start your journey to a healthy spine. Find your spine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a spine consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MNVadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

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