Epidural treatment for back pain

I am scheduled to have a round of three injections for discs that are impinging on my sciatic nerve. Has any one else had this? If so,did it help? Did CMT get worse? Thanks for any info you have. Karen

I have not had any experience with this. Sorry, can't speak from any experiences relating. I would research and satisfy yourself with the benefits vs.the possible secondary issues. So much of the time CMT progresses more with any invasive procedures.

It can be tricky and temporary benefits might not be worth the risks taken. Good luck and hope others can share from a more personal experience.

Hi Karen,

I have had the epiderals and of all the pain management injections, they helped the most. They could never get me numb enough, but I think these tarlov cysts on the nerve roots may have had much to do with that!

As you know, I don't have CMT, but have many discs that are problematic in one way or another, one has caused Sciatica.

I will tell you that I have been advised by an MD, PhD here on Ben's Friends that an Interventional Radiologist is better than a pain management/radiologist. As he explained it the difference is that the IR's are using an MRI to guide them to the exact position of the nerve root, instead of the x-ray guided ones used by PM, whose methods are not necessarily as precise. It may be worth asking about.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=interventional%20radiologist

Hey Karen,

Just checking to see how you're doing and if you had the injections yet! You may want to have a driver your first time to see how you do with these.

You know I'll be sending lots of good vibes your way! Hope you can get to a better place very soon!

SK

I haven’t had them yet. I plan to have someone with me when I do. I am apprehensive about doing this procedure as all the other procedures and operations have left me with places of no feeling. My back is causing me a tremendous amount of pain,so I have to weigh the pluses and minuses. I will let you know when they are scheduled and what I decide. Thank you for your concern. Karen

Karen, do you think the back problems are the result of the fall you mentioned in your profile?

I am sure the last bad fall I had definitely contributed to my back problem. That is when CMT became apparent. My left leg and foot became turned. I could no longer get my heel to the floor. I have been walking on my toes on my left foot for seven years. All of this has put my hip out of alignment and my back,too. After my diagnosis I realized all of the signs I had from childhood and my Mother had the same thing.i think disc problems come out of the problems we have with walking correctly.

Hi Karen,

I would certainly think you are right! Makes perfect sense to me, and it takes me back to what my Chiropractor says "Every part of our body is connected to something else, and affects something else". Then he'll sing that song "the hip bone's connected to leg bone, the leg bones' connected to the knee bone, ankle bone, foot bone..."

I hope you can soon get some substantial relief!