Epidural Steroid Injection

On October 21, 2013, I fell and busted my knee pretty bad in a parking lot.  I got an X-ray of my knee because I thought that I broke it (but, I didn't). Since the fall my balance has been off, I got numbness and tingling/falling asleep feeling in my feet, and more pain in my right foot.  I thought that the CRPS was flaring up because of the cold (since it was at the start of winter).  But, to be on the safe side, Dr. JS sent me in for a MRI of my back in January 2014, and that's when they discovered the bulging discs in my lower back.  

On April 3, 2014, Dr. Patel gave me an Epidural Steroid Injection, to try to reduce the pain that I was experiencing as another plan to my treatment process.  Today (4/24), I got another Epidural Steroid Injection.  Today, they put the injection in right at the bottom of my spine.  When I received the injection on 4/3, they injected it higher up on my (lower) spine.  Also, today (4/24), the injection was more painful than the one on 4/3.  I didn't notice any relief from the injection on 4/3, so I'm hoping that the location that this injection was put in will do the trick!  Time will only tell!  If it does work, then I won't need to return until my scheduled office visit in another two (2) months! 

UPDATE:  Monday, April 28, 2014:

I did get pain relief from the 2nd Epidural Steroid Injection!!!  I've been able to sleep without socks on since Thursday night!  I have not been able to do that since my fall in October.  If anyone enjoys sleeping in a clean bed, shaved legs and no socks . . . it's me!  It's been killing me since October that I couldn't sleep without socks on.  Even though we have a 'heated mattress pad' I still needed the socks, because warmth was the only thing that took away the pain.  For me, I didn't need pills, I just needed warm socks, boots, heated blankets/mattress pads . . . anything warm!  So, the great thing about this last injection . . . MY FOOT IS NATURALLY WARM now!  I'm not sure how long the injection will last to keep my foot warm, but I am sure loving the relief I am getting.  This injection gave me about 85-90% relief - the fastest and most immediate relief that I've ever gotten!



UPDATE:  Tuesday, April 29, 2014:

Last night I noticed that the pain is just starting to creep back up on me.  My foot isn't as warm as it has been and almost needed to put socks on.  But, I was stubborn and put my feet in-between my husbands legs to warm them up!  I also turned on my heated mattress pad.  It seemed to do the trick last night, but not sure about tonight.  I really enjoyed my warm feet while it lasted, and knowing that this injection worked gives me hope!