Spinal Injections

When back or neck pain gets too severe or doesn’t improve after conservative treatments, it’s time to learn if spinal injections might give you the relief you need. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship-trained spine specialist Ashish Upadhyay, MD, MS, at Connecticut Advanced Spine in Bristol, Connecticut, uses real-time imaging to inject medications into precisely targeted spinal nerves and structures. Call the office immediately or use online booking to schedule a spinal injection appointment.

When would I need a spinal injection?

Spinal injections relieve back, neck, arm, and leg pain caused by inflamed nerves and many spinal conditions. Dr. Upadhyay may recommend a spinal injection to ease symptoms caused by herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and facet joint arthritis, to name a few.

He also performs spinal injections to identify the exact nerve or structure responsible for your neck or back pain.

What type of spinal injection might I receive?

Three of the most common spinal injections include:

Epidural steroid injections

Dr. Upadhyay injects a mixture of steroids and a local anesthetic into the epidural space between the spinal cord and vertebrae.

As the medications flow around carefully targeted nerve roots, the anesthetic stops pain messages from reaching your brain, while the steroids soothe inflamed nerves.

Facet joint injections

Each vertebra has two facet joints connecting it to the adjacent vertebrae. These joints have the same structure as your knee joint (though significantly smaller), making them vulnerable to developing arthritis.

Dr. Upadhyay eases your facet joint arthritis by placing medications in and around the joints.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections

The SI joints connect your hip bones to the sacrum, a triangular bone at the bottom of your spine. These joints don’t support movement because their job is to provide stability and distribute pressure.

When the joint gets too loose or inflamed, it causes lower back pain. Injections into the joint reduce the inflammation and ease your pain. 

What type of spinal injection is provocation discography?

Dr. Upadhyay uses provocation discography to determine if a spinal disc is the cause of your pain. He injects a medication that triggers your pain if the disc is the source.

What should I expect during spinal injections?

Dr. Upadhyay numbs the injection site and performs spinal injections using one of several possible imaging techniques that provide real-time information, showing the structures in your spine and allowing him to guide the needle to the targeted area accurately.

For example, a specialized X-ray technique, fluoroscopy, produces live images and is often used during spinal injections. However, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasound also produce real-time images.  

Call Connecticut Advanced Spine today or use the online booking feature to request a spinal injection consultation and learn if this treatment can improve your pain.