Spinal Injections for Diagnosing and Treating Pain

A spinal injection is an invasive procedure used for both diagnosing and treating low back pain. The purpose of a spinal injection is to deliver medicine directly to the specific site of pain.

When you have a diagnostic injection, the goal is to find out whether a specific medication relieves your pain. If it does so in the area your healthcare provider suspects is the source, based on your physical exam and medical history, they can confirm the diagnosis. Pain relief from diagnostic injections is generally temporary—usually lasting just a few hours.

When you have an injection as a treatment, the relief tends to last longer.

Here are four commonly administered spinal injections.

1

Selective Nerve Root Block

Spinal column, illustration

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Selective nerve root blocks are one of the most commonly given spinal injections. They are used to treat or diagnose back and/or leg pain resulting from damaged nerve roots, a collection of nerves that branch off the main spinal cord all along your spine. A compressed or irritated nerve root can result in leg pain that most people call sciatica, although its technical name is radiculopathy.

A 2013 guidelines report by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) points out that although the evidence for accuracy of diagnostic selective nerve root blocks is limited, they are recommended for patients whose pain source is uncertain and occurs on multiple levels of the spine.

2

Lumbar Facet Joint Nerve Blocks

Human Spine, Pelvis, Chiropractic, Orthopedic, Medical Model, Heathcare, Isolated
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If, based on a physical exam, your healthcare provider suspects your pain is coming from the joints at the back of your spine, they may recommend trying a facet injection. Facet joints are connections between the bones of the spine on each side and each vertebral level. They add integrity to the spine by limiting excessive movement. The facet joint is a common site for spinal arthritis.

ASIPP guidelines state that evidence for diagnostic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks is good: The standard is 75 to 100 percent pain relief, and they are recommended in patients who've been diagnosed with facet joint pain.

But beware: Some research shows that for the most part, facet joint injections for pain (not diagnosis) are not proven long-term pain relievers. A facet injection alone is not likely to give you lasting results.

3

Injections into Your Sacroiliac Joints

Doctor pointing to Sacroiliac Joint on skeleton

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Sacroiliac joint injections include intra-articular steroid injections (also the type given for painful facet joints) and periarticular injections (intra-articular means "inside the joint"; periarticular means "around the joint"). Botox and steroids are commonly used for periarticular injections.

Only limited evidence supports the use of the intra-articular and periarticular types of sacroiliac injections. However, as a diagnostic tool, intra-articular sacroiliac joint injections with local anesthetics that relieve 75 to 100 percent of your usual pain have good science behind them, according to ASIPP.

Another treatment option is pulsed or conventional radiofrequency neurotomy. Radiofrequency neurotomy introduces heat into the joint to interrupt nerve pain transmission.

A review study in 2014 showed that radiofrequency treatments significantly reduce pain in the short term, but more evidence is needed to show whether treatments have long-term benefits.

4

Epidural Steroid Injections

Spinal Epidural Injection
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If you have a herniated disc or disc radiculitis, your healthcare provider may suggest an epidural injection. A spinal epidural injection delivers steroid medication into the epidural space, an area between the spinal cord and the vertebral canal and near the very sensitive spinal cord.

For herniated disc or disc radiculitis, ASIPP recommends one of three approaches: caudal, interlaminar or transforaminal. These are also recommended for pain from stenosis. (By the way, these fancy words refer to the direction and location of the needle insertion.)

Your healthcare provider might also suggest an epidural injection if you have discogenic pain, which arises from inside the disc rather than from an injury or herniation. In this case, either interlaminar or caudal epidural injections are recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the types of spinal injection for back pain?

    There are multiple types of spinal injection for back pain. The following injections are therapeutic and diagnostic, meaning that they relieve pain as well as help identify its source.

    • Epidural: Treats pain originating in the spine that radiates outward. The injection contains an anti-inflammatory medication and/or anesthetic that is inserted close to the affected nerve.
    • Facet Joint: This injection is used if pain is due to degenerative or arthritic conditions that cause neck, middle, or lower back pain. The facet joints are where the injection is inserted.
    • Sacroiliac Joint: This injection treats pain caused by a sacroiliac (SI) joint, located near the pelvis. Pain is usually felt in the lower back, buttocks, or leg. It often uses a steroid for long-term pain relief.
  • Which spinal injection is used for a herniated disc?

    An epidural injection is typically used to treat a herniated disc. This involves inserting an anti-inflammatory medication, like a steroid, into the epidural space. This space is located between the spine and vertebral canal and runs along the length of the spine.

  • What are diagnostic injections?

    Diagnostic injections are a type of spinal injection meant to diagnose the source of pain, but they offer zero treatment qualities. They are used less often than other types of spinal injection, and are typically reserved for cases where lower back pain calls for surgical treatment. Diagnostic injections can cause worsened back pain, but any information gathered by it can help a healthcare provider prepare for surgery.

5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Manchikanti L, Abdi S, Atluri S, et al. An update of comprehensive evidence-based guidelines for interventional techniques in chronic spinal pain. Part II: guidance and recommendations. Pain Physician. 2013;16(2 Suppl):S49-283.

  2. Perolat R, Kastler A, Nicot B, et al. Facet joint syndrome: from diagnosis to interventional management. Insights Imaging. 2018;9(5):773-789. doi:10.1007/s13244-018-0638-x

  3. Leggett LE, Soril LJ, Lorenzetti DL, et al. Radiofrequency ablation for chronic low back pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Pain Res Manag. 2014;19(5):e146-53. doi:10.1155/2014/834369

  4. Manchikanti L, Singh V, Pampati V, Falco FJ, Hirsch JA. Comparison of the efficacy of caudal, interlaminar, and transforaminal epidural injections in managing lumbar disc herniation: is one method superior to the other? Korean J Pain. 2015;28(1):11-21. doi:10.3344/kjp.2015.28.1.11

  5. OrthoInfo: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Spinal Injections.

Additional Reading

By Anne Asher, CPT
Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert.