I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but looking for feedback on steroid shots...

[2theleft]

Back in February, I had the flu, was walking down the hall to my bedroom, passed out cold from being dehydrated. Whacked my chin on a piece of furniture, neck hurt for a bit... fast forward a few weeks, I'm having chronic headaches, back hurts, etc. Have to travel across country for work, and after being the on the 5 hour flight home, I was in so much pain I was almost in tears.

Urgent care center the day after I got back and the x-rays revealed I had a centro-lateral herniated disk in my thoracic spine, mid-way between my shoulder blades. I was referred to a specialist. The MRI they did also showed annular tears in my neck, C6-7.

My pain levels are about 3-4 for about 1/2 of the week, with days that spike to 7 or so for the other half. I'm doing physical therapy twice a week. My doc wants me to get steroid shots in my spine to help with the pain. I am not taking any narcotic pain meds, trying to manage with alternating advil/tylenol on the bad days, which doesn't make the pain go away, but makes it so I can get through the day without crying.

To FINALLY get to what feedback I'm looking for - I have heard VERY mixed reviews on the shots. Probably about 60% of the people I work with that have back issues have told me to NOT get the shots, that they are awful, don't really help, etc. Then there are a few that have had very good experiences with them. I'm so tired of being in pain. Just checking to see if anyone here had them and if they did, in fact, help. I hate needles, so am not thrilled about the thought of it, but I am so tired of hurting all of the time.

Thanks for anyone who has any input!

[catnhatnh]

1. I had one of a planned three.

I am not a fan. But as you've heard your mileage may vary...

[Warpy]

2. Another "not a fan."

In fact, studies since then have suggested that for soft tissue pain, dry needling works just as well as steroid injections. Docs are still doing the steroids since they're something that should work. They just didn't for me.

Physical therapy worked, as did narcotics until I could function well enough without them to go back to work.

Now if they're talking about epidural (into the epidural space around the spinal cord) steroids, that's another thing, entirely. Those do work.

[2theleft]

3. They are the epidural shots...x-ray guided...

Thanks for your reply and I should have been more specific!! I had narcotics when it first started, but am trying to "make do" without them since I have to work and they make my brain mush. My PT is great, and he wants to "needle" me, so the muscles around the space will loosen up and help my recover. My doc says it's not necessary. So confusing. I think I'm going to try to needling...I feel like if those muscles loosen up, at least I will have some relief while I contemplate the other shots...

[Warpy]

4. Good. The epidural ones are more successful

One thing, have they tried you on Ultram? It's much of the pain relief and little to no buzz. I've been lucky enough to be able to tolerate that one, I hate narcotics, too.

It's funny how different this stuff looks when you need it than it did when you were a teenager looking for a cheap thrill.

[Nite Owl]

5. I've had them

and for me they were very helpful. No more painful than a blood test and it was over with quickly. Within hours I was feeling like a new person. They lasted for over a year but you can get up to three a year.

[2theleft]

6. Thanks, that is good to know...

Still trying to decide and do some research, but I very much appreciate the response.