This block is performed after numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Using fluoroscopy, a moving X-ray for guidance, the physician directs a needle toward the epidural space. The entire procedure takes between 15-30 minutes.

Epidural injections can be used for a variety of pain conditions including disk herniation, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, spinal stenosis, nerve root compression and inflammation in the spine.

Epidural injections successfully relieve many pain symptoms. They may be used to delay or even eliminate the need for surgery or other procedures, particularly in patients with severe pain caused by a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis.