Dr. Kaliq Chang
Interventional Pain Specialist Dr. Kaliq Chang with Atlantic Spine Center Advises that Steroid Injections Are Aid in Managing Pain; Gives Tips to healthy spine.
EIS are typically employed to treat discomfort radiating into the legs through spinal nerves that run through the back.
— Dr. Kaliq Chang
WEST ORANGE NJ, USA, June 8 2022 /EINPresswire.com– Epidural corticosteroid shots are a great way to relieve chronic neck and back pain, assist patients recover from injuries and improve their quality of life and, in the majority of instances, they are able to alleviate or eliminate pain permanently due to spinal issues, according to the specialist in interventional pain management Kaliq Chang MD with Atlantic Spine Center.
“Individuals who choose to get these injections must ensure that they’re performed by a doctor with a vast knowledge of pain management, who knows how to determine the best people for treatment and is able to maximize the effectiveness and safety of the injections” Dr. Chang. He explains that epidural steroid injections are also known as ESIs are generally suggested after a patient has not succeeded in conventional, nonsurgical methods to ease pain. He they do decrease the effectiveness over time.
Experts agree. In a 2021 article published on the National Library of Medicine website (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470189/) Statistics indicate the number of ESIs performed in the United States tops nine million annually.
The majority of ESIs are utilized to alleviate the pain of radicular – radiating down the legs from spinal nerves located in the back and, more rarely on the arms, due to nerves that run through the cervical spine caused by chronically inflamed or irritated nerve roots the doctor Dr. Chang says.
The most common causes of inflammation are the herniation or rupture in one or several intervertebral discs, and shrinking spinal and cervical canal (stenosis) in which nerves leave. Both conditions could cause nerve compression. When a disc bulges ruptures, the disc can squeeze against and pinch the nerve. In the same way, the deterioration of spinal and cervical bone as a result of osteoarthritis and other diseases causes stenosis. It can result in disc degeneration, thickening of ligaments within the area or triggering the development of bone spurs, which could partially block canals and impinge upon nerves.
It is a good thing that injecting corticosteroids, which are anti- that are often mixed with local anesthetics, into the epidural area in neck or back and neck, is a relatively simple procedure that takes only a few 15 minutes the procedure, Dr. Chang says. “Using fluoroscopy using contrast dye to aid in the needle’s placement and depth, the doctor employs one of a variety of techniques to inject the needle and then deliver the medication to the correct place in the epidural area.”
The epidural space is the protective layer on the spine and is home to connective tissue, blood vessels as well as nerves. When they are injected, corticosteroids reduce pain signal from nerves that are irritated, reduce the body’s production of natural inflammation substances, and reduce the chemical substances released from damaged discs, and stimulate nerve fibers.
Patients suffering from malignancies, infections or bleeding disorders aren’t thought to be candidates for ESI. Furthermore, “a physician may or should not pursue an ESI when a patient is suffering from diabetes that is uncontrolled, heart disease or osteoporosis” Dr. Chang says. He cites an opinion article in the New England Journal of Medicine (www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1511754), in which authors advise, “Patient selection may be the key to optimizing the efficacy of epidural glucocorticoid injection [for relieving neck and back pain], and we encourage the medical community to work to identify the types of patients who might benefit most.”
However, optimal patient selection and security are only one aspect of. Corticosteroid injections for the epidural area should be given to clients as part an “multimodal strategy” which includes exercising, healthy weight, quitting smoking, and other lifestyle aspects Dr. Chang emphasizes.
“ESIs aren’t magical bullets, but they can be to be life-changing for patients in a limited way. They are second-line treatments that provide temporary relief when conservative methods, like physical therapy, over-the counter pain relievers and muscle relaxants do not solve the issue,” Dr. Chang states.
Naturally, the most effective protection against pain is spinal health. This is the reason the doctor Dr. Chang offers these tips to maintain an active cervical and back:
• Practice good posture when sitting or standing. Stand straight and sit up straight. If you are standing for a long period, bend your knees a bit and then place one foot over the other.
* Work out regularly with a focus upon the muscles that are located in the abdominal region as well as the lower back.
Utilize proper lifting techniques, particularly when lifting large or heavy objects.
* Wear shoes that help support the spine and help keep your body in a straight line.
* Lose weight. Obesity places excessive stress on the spine due to the additional abdominal weights pull it down.
* Lay down on a mattress that is firm enough.
In the end, In the event that spinal issues do arise be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations. A ESI could improve your health, but the Dr. Chang says you can be active, but be cautious. Your spine will be grateful to for it.
Atlantic Spine Center is a well-known leader nationally in the practice of endoscopic spine surgeries and the management of chronic pain, with multiple centers located in NJ in addition to NYC. www.atlanticspinecenter.com,
Kaliq Chang, MD, is an interventional pain specialist in the Atlantic Spine Center. He is board-certified in anesthesiology.
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