EPIDURAL INJECTION METHODS

  I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING LESI INJECTIONS FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 YEARS NOW. RECENTLY MY INSURANCE CARRIER CHANGED AND I BEGAN TO SEE A NEW ANESTHESIOLOGIST. THE FORMER DOCTOR DID THEM WITHOUT SEDATION, ANY INSTRUMENTS TO HELP LOCATE THE NEEDLE NOR DID HE RECOMMEND TO LAY FLAT FOR A NUMBER OF HOURS AFTER THE INJECTIONS.
  THE NEW DOCTOR FOLLOWS THE PROCEDURE I DESCRIBED ABOVE AND SEEMS TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
  THE BENEFIT FROM THE PREVIOUS DOCTOR IS THAT I COULD GET THEM DONE ON MY LUNCH HOUR AND NOW I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TAKE ME AND PICK ME UP DUE TO THE SEDATION.
  WHICH IS THE BETTER OR SAFER METHOD OR IS THERE A RIGHT OR WRONG WAY. IS THE PREVIOUS DOCTOR SO GOOD THAT HE DOES NOT NEED EQUIPMENT OR SEDATION. I LIKED THE PREVIUOS DOCTOR BETTER BUT NOW I WONDER IF HIS METHODS WERE REALLY SAFE.

Dear Mr. Brown:
There is no real answer to your question because all the techniques that
you described serve two purposes: The first one is better patient comfort
through sedation and localization and the second one is to assist the
operator in minimizing needle passes. An extremely experienced operator
does not need instruments to localize the needle although this does help
him/her do this procedure. If you feel that you can tolerate the procedure
without sedation, You might ask your new doctor if he would do it without
sedatives. I hope this answers your questions.
Good Luck!