epidural steroid injection

  : I'M A 33 YEAR OLD FEMALE W/ 2 HERNIATED DISCS IN LOWER BACK. MY ORIGIONAL INJURY WAS IN 1994 , I'VE BEEN TO CHIROPRACTOR & PHYSICAL THERAPY, P/T SEEMED TO SOMEHOW CAUSE SEVERE SCIATICA IN MY RIGHT LEG WHICH I'VE HAD CONSTANTLY NOW FOR 4 MOS. ..PAIN STARTS AT RIGHT SIDE OF BUTTOCK & GOES DOWN MY THIGH CALF & FOOT . MY QUESTION IS I NEVER HAD SCIATICIA PAIN UNTIL P/T COULD THE TWO BE RELATED ?
  : I DID HAVE IT SLIGHLTY IN LEFT LEG B-4 BUT NEVER LIKE THIS & I'M SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION ON DEC.28TH , WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND QUESTION , HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS SHOT ??
  : OH YEAH & I HAD 2 MRI'S DONE & BEEN TO 2 ORTH DCTRS.ANY ADVICE
  Epidurals don't repair disk herniations. They are supposed to help with nerve and may be disc inflammation.  The inflammation can be helped with rest and proper massage treatment.  Epidurals can and do cause serious problems. Ask your doctor some tough questions on how epidurals are going to solve problems.
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Dear Kelly:
If specific movements with PT provoke sciatica (more accurately called root pain), you should avoid those. Activity should be maximised as tolerated.
Epidural steroid/local anesthetic injections are usually quite safe in the hands of competent anesthesiology-pain specialists. They, however, have questionable efficacy. Even uncontrolled series claim only a temporary benefit, and repeated injections are frequently needed.
Surgery is a potential option for intractible pain from disc protrusion. It is important to know that (i) the majority of herniations resolve, as does pain, in about six months, and (ii) Surgery fails in as many as 20-25% of cases.