Cervical Radiculopathy is a condition that affects a significant portion of the adult population, with nearly 10% experiencing severe neck pain annually. The causes of neck pain are multifaceted, often stemming from inflamed muscles, ligaments, joints, or nerves. In the realm of pain management, various types of injections play a pivotal role, especially for back pain.
A notable example is the Stellate ganglion block, administered in the front of the neck. This injection targets sympathetic nerves near the voice box, alleviating pain and swelling in the head, neck, upper arms, and chest. It’s particularly effective for conditions like shingles. Cervical region issues, including pain and neuropathies radiating to the arm and hand, and thoracic region discomforts affecting the ribs or flank, can be addressed through different injection techniques, such as interlaminar or transforaminal.
Spine injection therapy is often recommended alongside other treatments like medications and physical therapy for back and neck pain relief. Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) are common for addressing lower back and neck pain. These injections are administered in the epidural space, which is located between the spinal cord’s covering and the inner bony spinal canal, spanning the entire spine.
For persistent pain, epidural glucocorticoid injections are considered, and in severe cases, where medial therapy over six to eight weeks doesn’t alleviate pain, or if there’s evidence of spinal cord compression, surgery might be an option. Physiatrists often perform these injections as a non-surgical treatment for back and neck pain, serving both as a pain relief and a diagnostic tool. Common types include Epidural steroid injections and Selective nerve root block (SNRB).
Patients are advised to discontinue medications like Aspirin or Plavix 7–10 days before any cervical or thoracic injection procedure. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents should also be paused. Cervical epidural injection, a specific treatment for certain types of neck pain, involves injecting medicine deep into the neck near the spine.
For more information on these treatments and procedures, visit HSS, UTH Neurosciences, HSS Epidural Injections FAQs, University of Michigan Spine Program, UVA Spinal Injections, Harvard Health, UConn Health, URMC Ortho Spine, or UCSD Health.
