What is a Spine injection, also known as an Epidural Block?
An epidural spinal block is an injection of medication into the epidural space. The epidural space is space around the spinal nerves. Placing anti-inflammatory medicine in the epidural space can help reduce spinal nerve inflammation and the pain you may be having.

Who Needs an Epidural Block?
• Patients who need an epidural block have inflammation or injury around one of the nerve roots coming from the spinal canal. This can be due to lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis (narrowing), or degenerative changes of the spine.

Pre-Procedure Instructions:
• Review your current medications with your doctor prior to the day of your procedure, including daily aspirin regimen and any anti-coagulation medications you are taking.
• Do not eat or drink anything for 4 hours prior to your procedure.
• Have a family member or friend accompany you for the procedure and remain throughout your stay. You will not be able to drive yourself home after the procedure. Pleas allow approximately 1˝ hours for the procedure.
• If you develop a fever or begin antibiotic therapy prior to your procedure, call to speak to the nurse.

What Happens During the Epidural Block Procedure?
You will be changing into a gown that is open toward the back.
• A medical assistant or nurse will check your blood pressure, pulse and start an IV (intravenous) line in your arm. The IV is used for a mild sedation medication prior to the start of the procedure.
• The doctor will clean the area to be injected with antiseptic. There will be an injection to numb the area prior to the epidural injection.
• After the area is numb, the doctor will insert the epidural needle. Through this needle, the medication used for the epidural block will be injected. As the medication is being administered, some patient have described the feeling as a “balloon being inflated” in their back.

What Happens After the Epidural Block Procedure?
• After the injection, you will spend approximately 30 minutes in recovery. Home-going instructions will be reviewed with you prior to your discharge and questions will be answered.

For the First 24 Hours:
• Relax – no strenuous activity
• No driving
• No alcoholic beverages
• Keep the injection site dry and covered
• No baths or showers
• Use ice at injection site if there is soreness
• No physical therapy

Call Your Doctor…
If after 24 hours you have continued severe pain, numbness that was not there prior to injection, swelling or redness at the injection site, or a persistent headache.


Beachwood Orthopedic & Physical Medicine
23250 Mercantile Road
Beachwood, OH 44122

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM

Contact Us:
Phone: 216-292-0600