Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection

There’s a simple, non-invasive treatment for middle back pain available near you. The spine specialists at the Spine & Rehab Group offer an epidural for thoracic back pain called a thoracic epidural steroid injection. It’s a painless procedure, and for many people, it’s an ideal solution. Find a spine doctor experienced in thoracic epidurals and other back pain treatments at a Spine & Rehab Group office in New York City’s Financial District, Greenwich Village and Midtown Manhattan. If you’re in New Jersey in Bergen County, Morris County or Union County, call the office in Paramus, Riverdale, Englewood Cliffs, Cranford, or East Brunswick. Don’t stay in pain.

Why Do I Need a Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection?

A thoracic epidural steroid injection is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat middle back pain and upper back pain. This injection contains medication that mimics the hormones cortisone and hydrocortisone. These drugs reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

Pain and other conditions in this part of your back occur because the spinal nerves exiting your spinal cord have become compressed. An injury to an intervertebral disc or degenerative disc disease often leads to this added pressure on your spinal nerves. And this causes inflammation, irritation and other incapacitating symptoms.

If you have back pain affecting your life, Dr. Amr Hosny and the experienced spine doctors at the Spine & Rehab Group can help relieve it. The board-certified spine doctors in NYC and northern NJ use the latest equipment for diagnosis and highly effective treatment for spinal conditions.

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

What Can Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection Treat?

Middle and upper back pain can originate from multiple spine conditions, mostly involving pinched nerves in your middle and upper spine. Your doctor can recommend a thoracic epidural injection to relieve the pain in your middle back and shoulders for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Thoracic degenerative disc disease
• Thoracic facet syndrome
• Thoracic disc herniation
• A thoracic or mid-back sprain
• Thoracic spinal stenosis, a rare condition
• Thoracic post-surgical spine syndrome

Your spine specialist in New York City or northern New Jersey performs a comprehensive examination to determine the underlying cause of your spinal pain. The results form the basis of your treatment. While spine doctors usually prefer to start with conservative, non-invasive treatment modalities first, using an injection of the epidural for thoracic back pain is available when needed.

What Symptoms Require a Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection?

Back pain is one of the most common disorders in the country, but only your spine specialist can determine whether a thoracic epidural steroid injection can help. Your doctor examines the symptoms pointing to a spinal nerve irritation and inflammation. Other tests follow to qualify you as a candidate for this procedure. You may be a good candidate for thoracic epidural steroid injection if:

• Conservative treatments for your back pain haven’t worked
• You experience pain along your ribs to the chest wall
• You suffer spasticity in your legs
• You have pain radiating from the back into one or both legs
• You suffer numbness or tingling in one or both legs
• You experience muscle weakness in your legs
• You have lost bladder or bowel control

These symptoms can point to other spinal problems, too, which is why you need an expert diagnosis. An early diagnosis makes the pain management techniques more effective as a treatment for your condition. By leveraging the latest medical technology, Dr. Hosny correctly diagnoses your spinal nerve problem and uses the thoracic epidural injection for treatment when appropriate.

Are You Eligible for a Thoracic Spine Epidural Injection?

The best pain doctors at the Spine & Rehab Group ask questions to determine if you’re a good candidate for this procedure. Some factors and medical conditions that can disqualify you for this treatment include:

• Allergic reactions to epidural steroid medication
• Pregnancy
• Active infections
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Bleeding problems
• Blood-thinning medication

When you’re not eligible for an epidural for thoracic back pain, the team at the Spine & Rehab Group offer an interventional approach to treating back pain and have a number of other non-invasive treatments that may work for you, such as physical therapy and lifestyle changes. If necessary, you may require more extensive therapy, such as surgery, but that’s always the last resort.

What Happens during a Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection?

Your spine doctor is assisted by an x-ray technician and a nurse for this in-office treatment. The doctor explains every stage of the procedure to put you at ease. The entire procedure takes 15 to 45 minutes. The process includes a series of steps that include:

1. Your initial consultation includes a medical history examination, physical assessment and diagnostic tests.
2. You lie face down, and the doctor uses a local anesthesia to reduce any discomfort.
3. The doctor identifies the area to inject, then cleans and numbs it.
4. Using fluoroscopy, which is a live x-ray, the doctor directs the needle to the correct position and injects the medication.
5. The doctor monitors you for a short while before discharge. You go home to fully recover.

Your doctor monitors you during follow-up appointments. You may discuss alternatives, such as physical therapy or surgery. To find out how a thoracic epidural steroid injection can improve your quality of life, contact Dr. Hosny and his team today at our pain and spine clinic. With three convenient locations in New York City and five more across the river in Bergen County, Morris County and Union County, New Jersey, this pain management facility has an office near you.

Dr. Amr Hosny is a Harvard-trained Interventional Spine Specialist that helps patients achieve pain relief, heal from injury, and return to their normal lifestyle as soon as possible without surgery.

Dr. Hosny completed an Interventional Spine fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, MA, and then finished his residency at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University in NYC. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at New York Medical College and is a written examination editor for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Experienced physician, educator, and healthcare entrepreneur, Dr. Hosny, is committed to enhancing health equity and accessibility using information technology in an era of rapid healthcare transformation while upholding the highest medical care standards.

More About Dr. Hosny

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