Question
My mother has many problems with her back- buldging and herniated disks, RA , and she also has fibromyalgia. Nothing seems to help her pain, so she is considering getting an epidural (cortizone). How effective is this? Are there any negative side affects? Also, if you could point me in the direction of some good websites. Thanks so much.

Answer
Hi Janel and thanks for writing,

An epidural injection is effective in significantly reducing back pain and/or leg pain for approximately 50% of patients. An epidural injection delivers steroids into the epidural space around spinal nerve roots to relieve back pain, leg pain, or other pain caused by irritated spinal nerves. An injection, such as an epidural steroid injection for back pain or leg pain, is typically considered after other more conservative treatments (such as medications, physical therapy) but before surgery. There are five types of injections that are relatively common.

from: http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/epidural/ep00.html

Also see:

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=602

http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1349.html

http://reddinganesthesia.com/ESB.htm

I hope this helps,

Margot