Pain Treatments
Thoracic Epidural Injection
A thoracic epidural injection is an injection given to the mid-back. A thoracic epidural injection can help reduce mid-back and rib pain as a result of damage to the discs in the neck or arthritis.
How is a thoracic epidural injection performed?
The doctor will numb your neck with medication near the mid back. Then, guided by an x-ray, he will:
Insert a thin needle into your mid-back and look at the placement under x-ray
Inject dye to confirm that medication is administered into the correct space
Inject a steroid (for longer term relief) or platelet rich plasma
The medicines then spread in the epidural space, thereby hopefully reducing nerve inflammation and pain. Usually, the procedure takes less than 15 minutes and you can go home the same day.
How effective is an epidural injection?
What are the risks?
What happens after the procedure?
