Treatment options

Not everyone with back pain needs an epidural, many problems resolve with rest, specialist physiotherapy, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory medication. However, if these treatments haven’t provided relief, epidural injections can help ease pain, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility.

The London Clinic offers a range of highly-specialised injection treatments to address different types of back pain:

Facet Joint Injections are placed into the small joints between each of the spinal bones. They treat pain caused by osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and injuries.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections are placed into the joint between the lower back and the pelvis. They help treat pain from the SI joint, which tends to be one-sided and affects the lower back, buttocks, and legs. Back pain consultation at The London Clinic Our experienced orthopaedic surgeons will assess and advise you in The London Clinic's comfortable, well-equipped consulting rooms.

They will take a detailed medical history, examine your back, and ask about the impact your symptoms have on your wellbeing and lifestyle.

Your consultant may then arrange tests to diagnose your back or neck problem, before tailoring a treatment plan for your needs. The London Clinic has a state-of-the-art imaging suite offering a range of diagnostic tests.

These may include: MRI scanning Myelography Discography X-Rays CT scanning Epidural injection at The London Clinic Your spinal specialist will perform the epidural injection as an outpatient procedure, so you will not need to stay in hospital overnight. At The London Clinic, injections are usually under local anaesthetic. However, we also offer sedation to reduce discomfort and anxiety.

The expert anaesthetist gives this intravenously and monitors you throughout the procedure. You will feel relaxed but still conscious. You will lie on your side with your knees pulled up to your chest or sit up and hunch forwards.

The consultant will clean your back and numb the skin with a local anaesthetic. The consultant will then insert a fine hollow needle into your lower back. The specialist may use X-ray guidance to ensure your safety and increase the effectiveness of the treatment. They will inject a small amount of dye through the cannula, which shows up on X-Ray, confirming the precise placement of the injection.

When the tube is in the correct position, the consultant will inject the medication. Usually, this is a steroid combination to reduce inflammation and local anaesthetic to numb the area and decrease pain. The procedure takes around 30 minutes.

Finally, the consultant will apply a plaster to cover and protect the injection site. The London Clinic team will support and monitor you as you recover. Recovery and aftercare Following the procedure, the clinic team will monitor your recovery. You will be able to go home when you are up and about and have passed urine.

However, a friend or family member should escort you home. You should stay off work and take it easy for 24 hours. The anaesthetic will numb the area for the first day. After this, the pain may increase before the steroids start to take effect. The team will give you painkillers to keep you comfortable during this time.

An epidural injection can reduce pain for up to three months. However, they're usually a crucial part of a holistic back pain programme. The injection reduces symptoms so that physiotherapy is more effective. The London Clinic’s specialist physiotherapists will give you exercises to improve your strength, spinal mobility, and stability.

It is usually safe to start exercises a week after your injection. The London Clinic team is always available for support and guidance if you have any problems or concerns.