spinal cysts

[Annie88697]

I have been receiving steroid spinal injections for lower back pain radiating down into my left upper leg.  Last one failed to give me any relief.  After having another MRI doctor said he has found a cyst that may be preventing the steroid injections from helping as well as causing more pain.  I have post polio disorder also......research I have done concerning using steriods after having polio are quite negative.  2 questions: 1)  could the previous steriod injection have caused the cyst; 2) do you have any knowledge/advice concerning post polio and steroid injections?  


This discussion is related to spinal cysts.

[hurtinggrandma815]

I am a 64 year old woman with type 2 diabetes...I am on Novolog and Levimire twice daily...blood sugars are still unstable.  Am seeing an endocrinologist who is trying to get me off of insulin, hopefully "within a year: I am writing because I have been diagnosed as having a "cyst" at T7..was not informed as to its size or as to what kind of cyst it is.  I was diagnosed by a neurosurgeon in Birmingham, Alabama about 3 hours from my home.  She does not advise surgery and says that she does not think the cyst is what is causing my pain, but has not advised me as to what can be done to treat my condition. All I know is that I am in pain in the exact place she stated that the cyst is located. I have been in pain at T7-T8-T-9 since 1995 and have been to numerous physicians/neurosurgeons,chiropractors, arthritis doctors, etc. and none of them seem to know how to treat me and just hand me off to another physician. I feel like I am just getting the "run around" and one doctor gets paid for my office visit, then hands me off to another doctor who gets paid for my office visit and so on. I am in severe pain and cannot sleep because the pain is excruciating. Therefore, I cannot hold down a job without proper sleep, so I had to give up my job as an L.P.N. at a nearby hospital. I have cried every night for so many years and no one seems to care or understand how much I suffer with the pain.  I have been give steroids injections and trigger-point injections, Lortab and muscle relaxers, all to no avail.  I don't want to treat the symptoms any longer, I want to stop the pain....!  Because of the steroids and lack of sleep, I do not leave my home because I am in so much pain and sleep deprived, I am depressed and do not even want to get dressed to go anywhere.  Please help by giving me some information that I can take to my physician so that he can help me.  I am so tired of hurting and no one understanding what I am going through....!  I have been searching the web for answers, but no one seems to know what to do with me.  Thank you for your input.

[Annie88697]

The cyst was there before, showed up in an MRI a year ago, before I had any spinal injection. I am not sure what kind of cyst it is.  Saw the pain doctor yesterday. No sign of an abscess. He has decided not to try another injection since the last one did not alleviate the pain  and caused a month long spinal headache.  NSAIDS caused negative reactions.  He has decided to try a low dose of morphine, davron etc do not touch the pain. He, like many doctors, is not sure what role the post polio plays in all this, as well as fibromyalgia and osteoporosis.  Otherwise I am quite healthy!!  It is the unending pain, at times quite severe, that sent me finally seeking any relief.  Thanks for your answer

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Polio is not a contraindication for epidural steroid injection. Provided the spine is not in an extreme bad shape, steroid injections can be administered effectively.

There are no reports of cyst formation as a result of spinal steroid injection. There are reports which mention abscess formation, but it would have more symptoms than just pain. Anyways, it will be useful to rule out an abscess. Repeated needle injury and infection can lead to an abscess. An abscess is a localized collection of infected material, secretions and is usually enclosed in a closed "cyst-like" space.

There are chances that the cyst may be present earlier. Have you been informed about the type of the cyst?

Regards