Steroid injection

I have scolosis and arthritis of the spine, along with bulging disks and DDD and other problems in the neck and back. I have been recieving epidurals in the back and neck and it has helped tremendously with the pain. I now have osteoarthriris. I am getting conflicting answers. One Dr. says as long as I am being treated for the osteoarthritis I can continue to have the epidurals as usual.

The other Dr. says I do not need to take an epidural more than once a year. Has anyone had this happen before, and what answers did you get?

My doctors(2 pain, 1 orthopedic) say 3 a year. Too much steroid will cause deterioration of the joint (spine has joints too). They don't give more than one as long as it's working. It's the same for bursa injections in shoulder and hip. 3 a year. I don't know why some doctors give a "series." If one kind of injection doesn't work my docs try a different type or place.

My epidurals worked great for several years, then stopped helping. Then I had facet joint injections to test for ablation. Those worked, so I got the ablations which worked for many months. The ablations are wearing off in one spot now. When that gets bad it will be repeated.

From what I have been told I think Alcie is correct, they often give the epidural steroid injections in a series of three, over several weeks, usually I have had each injection two weeks apart, but only given a maximum of three injection in any one joint or location, in a year. I might be wrong, but I believe that to much steroid in a relative short period of time can cause deterioration of the bone, and progressive cartilage damage in some people. Thus they don't usually give more than three injections in one year.

For me, and I have had allot of injections over the years, they are not that effective on me, usually the most relief I get is only about three weeks, hardly worth the time and trouble or cost for such a short time. But with that said, I have found that allot of surgeons want you to have the injections, first as they are kind of a diagnostic tool, because if you get any type of relief from the injections, then it is a good indication that, the area of the injection is definitely the problem area, and that that surgery might be a viable option. At least that is what I have always been told by my surgeons!

Good Luck to you bluejeans

White Beard