Cervical pain treatment in India - Removemypain

Most individuals with cervical radiculopathy get significantly better within 6-12 weeks, with good recovery in 4-6 months. For some, however, this can be a long-lasting problem. Ignoring persisting symptoms can aggravate the situation leading to chronic pain with reduced functionality. Treatment of this condition required a multimodal approach with a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, physical therapy, and injections. Surgical intervention is required in very few patients and there are specific indications for surgery. The presence of pain alone is not an indication of surgery.

Some of the pain management techniques include:

Lifestyle changes: These include activity modification, giving up smoking, being mindful of one’s posture, and simple ergonomic changes. Incorrect posture while working on laptops, mobiles, etc can cause excessive cervical spine strain with certain professions being more prone to develop neck pain. Simple measures such as adjustment of furniture height and computer position can go a long way in relieving symptoms. Taking regular breaks to walk around and stretch is a good practice.

Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, painkillers acting on the nerves (neuropathic agents) may all be used depending on the source of pain and severity of symptoms. Sometimes stronger painkillers may also be suggested by your doctor.

EPIDURAL INJECTION (Nerve Block)

The aim of this injection is to deliver the anti-inflammatory medicine in the epidural space, close to the affected nerve. Epidural space is a fat-filled space present in the spine, between the bone and a protective sac around the spinal nerves. Epidural injections are effective procedures and may help in rapid recovery by reducing inflammation. These medicines may also help by reducing the sensitivity of the nerves carrying the pain signals. The relief from these injections may be short-term or long-term, lasting from days to years. In some cases, it may even be permanent if the original problem responsible for pain heals. There is some evidence pointing to recurrence of symptoms in up to one-third of patients with cervical radiculopathy following initial treatment and repeated injections over one year may have a synergistic effect on pain relief. The goal of these injections is to reduce pain so that you can resume normal activities and engage in a physical therapy program.

The procedure involves the following steps

Step 1: Positioning and preparation

An IV drip is placed and the patient is positioned on the x-ray table. Monitors for recording the vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels are attached. The procedure area at the back of the neck is cleaned with antiseptics and drapes are placed around it to keep it clean. Local anesthetic is used to numb the treatment area to reduce any procedural discomfort. The patient remains awake during the procedure as this helps to provide feedback to the physician performing the procedure and enhances the safety of the injection.

Step 2: Performing the injection

The problem area is localized using x-ray guidance. A needle is then slowly directed into the epidural space using real-time x-ray guidance. These x-rays are visualized in real-time on a monitor attaches to the x-ray machine. Once the needle is correctly placed, a dye (contrast agent) is then used to verify the needle position. A mixture of local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medicine (steroid) is then given. After the injection is complete the needle is removed and a small dressing is applied.

Step 3: Post-procedure

After the procedure, monitoring is continued for some time.  Most people are discharged home after a few hours and are able to resume full activity from the next day. Simple painkillers such as paracetamol can be used for any discomfort around the injection site. The effect of injections can take some days to manifest and keeping a record of how your pain changes are advised. A post-procedure follow-up appointment is usually scheduled after a few days and it is important that you attend this appointment.

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