Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Spinal injections may be ordered to treat a variety of spinal conditions. Whether they are to help calm pain from a shifted spinal disc or to drown out spinal nerve compression, epidural and facet joint injections can be very beneficial for the patient. What we’ve noticed with these injections is that the benefits tend to snowball into one another, meaning that a simple injection can often produce a number of positive outcomes. In today’s blog, we explain how the benefits of spinal injections are often interconnected.

Why Spinal Injections Can Be So Beneficial

Starting with one benefit of spinal injections, it’s easy to see how other benefits can come to life and how injections are often recommended for patients with certain types of back pain.

• Concentrated Dosage – Unlike opioids that dilute and can affect nerves all across the body, a spinal injection provides a concentrated dose of pain-relieving serum right into the affected area. Not only does a higher dose reach the targeted area, but you can ensure that the injection is placed exactly where it needs to be for maximum effect. This pain relief can make a number of other movements easier, including physical therapy.
• Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is oftentimes the best thing you can do for your spine because it actively helps to strengthen and stabilize injured areas. Passive relief in the form of spinal injections won’t solve the root problem, but this concentrated injection can make movements more comfortable. When movement is less painful, it’s much easier to follow through on active treatments like physical therapy. Many patients find it easier to partake and complete their physical therapy routine after a spinal injection, which aids in your long-term recovery.
• Less Compensation – Your ability to move more freely and comfortably with the help of a spinal injection and physical therapy also help your body begin to handle stress in a healthier way. Instead of walking with a limp or favoring one side of your body because of your back pain, the combination of a spinal injection and physical therapy can make all movements easier and more manageable for your body. You may not realize how your back pain is affecting your knee joint or your wrist, but if a back injury is causing you to overuse or protect other areas of your body, joints and tissues can wear down unevenly, causing more problems.
• Improved Posture – More comfortable movements and an increased range of motion can also help to improve your posture, which may have been an underlying cause of your back problem in the first place. Improving your posture helps to take the stress off your lumbar and cervical spine, two areas that can be prone to accelerated degeneration if we’re constantly slouched or craning forward throughout the day. An injection that helps to calm pain and make movement easier can allow a person to be more comfortable in healthy spinal positions, which helps to prevent a recurrence of back pain.

For the right patient, a concentrated dose of pain-relieving medication at the source can provide a slew of compounding benefits that can help to put back pain in the past. If you’re interested in learning more, or you want to see if a spinal injection could be right for you, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.

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