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Transforaminal Injection

A Transforaminal injection is a mix of anaesthetic and steroid which work together to numb the root for immediate relief and to reduce inflammation in the rest of the nerve over the next few weeks. You can have lower back or neck Transforaminal injections.

Do I need a
Transforaminal Injection

Transforaminal injections (Nerve Root Blocks) can be used in a range of conditions that involve pain, inflammation or degeneration of the spine, discs and surrounding ligaments.

They involve injecting steroid and local anaesthetic into the foramen (spaces) between the vertebrae where the spinal nerve roots are located.

 

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Your Transforaminal Questions Answered

What is a transforaminal injection?

A transforaminal injection contains a mixture of local anaesthetic and corticosteroids, this is injected into the spaces between the vertebrae where the spinal nerve roots are located. The anti-inflammatory steroid will reduce swelling and therefore reduce symptoms, for immediate and longer term relief.

What conditions do transforaminal injections help with?

They can be used to treat a range of conditions that involve pain, degeneration or inflammation of the cervical or lumbar spine, discs or surrounding ligaments, such as severe local pain or radiating pain down the arm or leg. Such as sciatica and cervical radiculopathy.

We have seen some fantastic results at the clinic, supporting the research that shows 78% of patients returned to their normal activities faster after a cervical or lumbar transforaminal injection!

What to expect before and during my Transforaminal procedure?

Before the procedure

At your initial consultation, the doctor will take time to understand your symptoms and undertake a thorough assessment to ensure the injection is right for you. It is important to let the doctor know of any known allergies, such as plasters and to inform us if you are pregnant. Please also let the doctor know if you have any medical conditions and take any regular medications including blood thinning medications. This is also a great opportunity to ask the doctor any questions you may have about the procedure.

Before having your treatment eat and drink as normal, including taking any regular medication (unless otherwise advised by the doctor, e.g. blood thinning medication).

Please come to your appointment wearing loose, comfortable clothing.

What to expect during the procedure

The doctor will explain everything to you before your procedure and ask you to sign a consent form to confirm that you are happy to proceed.

All spinal injections are performed using our high-tech fluoroscopic x-ray for guidance and precision, by using this image guidance for accuracy and safety, the doctor can be confident the injectate is being delivered to the specified nerve root. Depending on the location of your injection, you may be asked to lie on your side (cervical) or on your front (lumbar), to allow the doctor to access the affected part of your spine.

Local anaesthetic is used on the injection point to make the procedure as comfortable as possible for you, once the position of the needle has been checked with a special dye, and x-ray images taken from two different views, the steroid will be injected. Some patients experience feelings of pressure as the fluid is injected, however are often surprised at how quick and comfortable the process is.

How long will a Transforaminal take to work?

In some cases the benefit may appear almost immediately. However, the injection is a long acting steroid which may take around two weeks to become fully effective. It is common to not feel a huge benefit for the first day or two and some people may feel a slight increase in their symptoms temporarily, but this should begin to settle within one week.

How long will a Transforaminal last for?

We have seen patients make a full recovery with transforaminal nerve root blocks time and time again. This is even more likely when patients have also benefited from the guidance of our experienced therapists who specialise in treating back and leg pain.

However, this is not always the case sometimes we see patients symptoms return after 3 months or so. If you do feel the effects wearing off sooner than you would have liked, please don’t worry, the procedure can safely be repeated to give a longer lasting effect.

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