Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection

The Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Vertebrae

The cervical vertebrae are the bones that support your neck and head and in Lumbar area they support the lower back. They form the top part of your spine from the base of the neck down to the tail bone. The tunnel made by these vertebrae is called the spinal canal. The spinal cord runs through the spinal canal, inside a sac called the dura. Nerves branch off the spinal cord and exit through the vertebrae. Pressure on one of these nerves may cause it to become inflamed (irritated and swollen). An inflamed nerve may cause pain that may also be felt in your head or arms or legs.

The Transforaminal Epidural Injection or Selective nerve root block

To help relieve your pain, medication is injected into the epidural space via the sleeve of a nerve root. This space surrounds the dura within the spinal canal. Your doctor may do a nerve block. During this procedure, medication is injected near a specific nerve root (the part of the nerve that leaves the spinal canal). A nerve block can help your doctor find out which nerve or nerves are the source of your pain.

Discussing Your Results

The injection may provide pain relief for weeks to months. But in some cases, you may need more injections to diagnose and get pain relief. Or, another type of treatment may be needed. See your doctor for a follow-up visit to discuss the results of your injection.