Risks, Side Effects, Complications
When done properly, spinal injection procedures are very safe. All of our procedures are done under x-ray guidance, both for safety reasons and to provide the greatest likelihood of success. However, with any medical procedure or treatment there are possible risks. Any time a needle is placed into the body there is a risk of bleeding. Usually, any bleeding that does occur after an injection is very minor. However, in rare circumstances bleeding can lead to a serious complication. To minimize this risk, we ask you to stop anti-inflammatories for 3 days prior to your procedure — aspirin for 7 days prior — and to notify us if you take blood thinning medications. Another complication that can occur with needle procedures is infection. The chance of getting a significant infection after any needle procedure is very low. However, with certain procedures involving disc injections (including discograms and intradiscal electrothermoplasty) if an infection did occur it could lead to a serious complication. For that reason, if you are having a disc injection antibiotics will be administered to you both intravenously and directly into the disc at the time of the procedure.
All of our procedures are performed using local anesthesia. Intravenous sedation may be required. It is possible to have allergic or other reactions to the medications used during the procedure, including the injection of contrast material or "dye" to make the x-ray image better and to make sure the injected medication will go to the right place. Most such reactions that do occur are minor, although serious complications are possible. For that reason it is important that you notify us of any medication allergies prior to the procedure.
Minor side effects are common after injection procedures. The sedative medications that are used may impair your coordination, so you should not drive or do other activities requiring coordination for at least 12 hours after the procedure. The local anesthetic injected into the spine may cause regional numbness or weakness for up to 6 hours after the procedure, which is another reason to limit your activity the day of the injection. You may have local soreness at the injection site for one or two days, which usually responds to ice packs. Some patients, especially those having discograms, may have an increase in their usual pain for up to 10 days following an injection. If you experience this try rest and your regular pain medication, and call us if your pain persists. If you received cortisone in your injection you may notice an improvement in your usual pain within 2-3 days, although it may take as long as 10-14 days for the medication to fully take effect. Although most patients do not have any side effects from cortisone, the following side effects are possible: sweating, flushing, palpitations, increased heart rate, insomnia, anxiety, hiccoughs, headache, menstrual changes, upset stomach, frequent urination, and slight fever with flu-like symptoms. If any of these side effects become significant or persists longer than three days please contact us.
Although serious complications are rare, they can occur. Possible serious complications include: increased pain, headache, temporary or permanent nerve damage, hip (bone) damage caused by steroids, seizures, difficulty breathing, collapsed lung, death, paralysis. It is possible that serious complications, especially those related to bleeding and infection, could occur in the recovery period at home, after you have left the clinic. For that reason, if you develop fever, progressive weakness or numbness, loss of bowel or bladder control or any other symptoms which you find concerning please notify us immediately.
