Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection

What Is a Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection?

A caudal epidural steroid injection is an injection administered into your low back through an opening in the sacral bone, called the caudal epidural. This procedure involves an injection of pain-relieving medication directly into the epidural space where you’re feeling the pain. The epidural space is a sleeve-like area between the dura mater and the vertebral wall that contains fat and small blood vessels. Spinal nerves go through the epidural space before traveling down to your legs.

Any structural changes to your spine in this area can cause inflammation or irritation to the nerve roots, leading to pain and mobility problems. The caudal epidural steroid, which contains a local anesthetic and a steroid medication, relieves the pain to improve your quality of life.

At the New York City and northern New Jersey offices of the Spine & Rehab Group, Dr. Amr Hosny and his team of experienced spine doctors use cutting-edge technology to diagnose your spinal condition and select the best treatment procedure for you. If you need a caudal epidural steroid injection, your spine specialist can perform the procedure right in the office.

Our Board certified doctors Amr Hosny, MD, MBA, FASA Book Now David Chu, MD, FAAPMR Book Now Vivek Mehta, MD, FAAPMR Book Now Deepali Gupta, MD, DABA, DABPM Book Now

Is a Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection Necessary?

A caudal epidural steroid injection bathes the epidural space with local anesthetic and cortisone. As a result, you receive weeks or even months of relief from the pain. The epidural space consists of ligaments, spinal discs and nerve roots. Any damage to a spinal disc can lead to a compression of the nerves, leading to low back pain. The same happens if you suffer damage to the ligaments. The injection is a minimally invasive procedure that offers multiple benefits, including:

• Pain relief with no surgical procedure
• Longer lasting pain management than other conservative treatments
• Faster pain relief effects
• Minimal risks and complications during the procedure
• Improved body functions and flexibility

This versatile pain treatment is ideal for treating a wide range of spinal conditions, such as:

• A lumbar bulging disc
• Disc herniation
• Bone spurs
• Lumbar radiculopathy
• Lumbar stenosis
• Failed back syndrome
• Post-laminectomy syndrome
• Lumbar spine degenerative disc disease

Your spine doctor examines your spine using the latest equipment to diagnose your condition. The right diagnosis improves the outcomes of the lumbar epidural steroid injection and other spinal treatments.

Do I Need a Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection?

An epidural caudal steroid injection can change your life by relieving pain and improving mobility. Factors that qualify you as a good candidate for this procedure include that you:

• Suffer from chronic back pain or sciatica
• Haven’t obtained relief from other conservative treatment methods
• Have a diagnosis for a bulging or herniated disc or another spinal condition in your lower back
• Have a spinal condition that affects movement in your legs
• Need pain relief to take part in other prescribed treatments, such as physical therapy

Dr. Hosny, a Harvard-trained and board-certified interventional spine specialist, examines your symptoms and the condition of your lower back to determine if you’re a good candidate for a caudal steroid injection. The treatment goals include pain relief and addressing the root cause of your pain.

How Is the Caudal Steroid Injection Procedure Done?

A caudal steroid injection is an outpatient procedure, meaning the doctor allows you to go home the same day as the treatment. You can expect minimal downtime and few risks of complications. The procedure offers back pain relief within a few days. During a caudal epidural steroid injection procedure, you can expect:

1. Your spine doctor carries out initial consultations and any necessary imaging or blood tests.
2. The doctor rules out conditions that increase the risk of complications, such as pregnancy, allergic reactions to steroid treatments, blood-thinning medication and infections.
3. During the procedure, you lay face down on an x-ray table.
4. The injection site is identified, cleaned and numbed.
5. The doctor injects dye to pinpoint where the injection should go, guided by live x-ray images.
6. Using a small needle, your spine doctor injects the medication to the exact spot it’s needed.

You may experience some minor bleeding, pain or numbness at the injection site, but your doctor monitors you for some time before you leave the pain clinic. If pain in your lower back bothers you at all, don’t suffer needlessly. Contact the pain specialists at the Spine & Rehab Group. Led by Dr. Hosny, the friendly team talks you through your treatment options, risks and success rates.

Dr. Hosny is a distinguished physician, educator, and healthcare leader with a commitment to advancing health equity and accessibility in the rapidly evolving landscape of modern healthcare. After completing his residency at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, affiliated with Columbia University in New York City, he pursued an Interventional Spine Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, part of Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.

Dr. Hosny has held prominent roles in academic medicine, including serving as an Associate Clinical Professor at New York Medical College and as the Interventional Spine Fellowship Program Director. These positions reflect his dedication to mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals and advancing the field of interventional spine care.

More About Dr. Hosny

The Spine & Rehab Group
140 NJ-17,
Paramus, NJ 07652
(212) 242-8160