lumbar epidural

[sam]

Does lumbar epidural injections help with PN pain?

[PaulSa]

Does lumbar epidural injections help with PN pain?

Had one done and received no relief.

[deBBieW]

I'm wondering that myself??? My pain doc said because I'm having left foot/and front shin pain (which now is turning into numbing) he felt he wanted to do an epidural for me too. On lumbar MRI - my L4-5 showed a mid, and moderate bulge. That was a month or so ago, and I was hesitant. Of course at that time, I wasn't sure I had PN for sure, I didn't have the constant sit pain everyone describes. Any ways, now I do, and it's burn, burn, burn - everything is burning, so I am wondering if that would help at least the foot/leg pain. I sort of feel not, as that came after I had some of the other symptoms, but it was all more mild.
I feel I want to try a PN block first, and see if that takes away anything.
I see him next week, so I'll see what he says.

Was does your MRI show?
Debbie

[Celeste]

I had six caudal/lumbar epidurals, no relief. It cost insurance $1800 a pop. My pain clinic doctor wanted to do them indefinitely; he said it would break the pain cycle. I just felt it was too risky to keep puncturing the spine like that especially with no benefit. Every time you had to sign a release saying you understood all this stuff could happen if something went wrong. No thanks! Besides, there is a separate pain condition you can get in your spine, arachnoidosis, that is really hard to treat, and that's a risk from too much trauma to the spine. Only, nobody can tell you how much is too much.

Can you tell I'm just really down on epidurals for chronic pain?!

[carolynm]

Agree with Celeste. At the most you could get a "caudal" epidural, injections at the sacral region, which is where the pudendal nerve originates, and it may give you temporary relief (i'm talking hours). Your PM doc just may not have experience with PN.

Do you have a definite diagnosis? Have you seen a doc who is "PN-aware"? That should be first on your list of things to do, but maybe you've already done this. Also, not every PM doc will do a pudendal block. I hope you find someone near to you who will do this, as most of us have had to travel for diagnosis and treatment.

my best,
cari

[sam]

Thanks for the posts. My PM had advised me on a lumbar epidural at L4 L5 but I was not sure if that was the way to go. I think it is better to do the pudendal nerve block. My pain is more on the right side and it is so painful to even sleep on that side, infact I can feel its effect starting from the right shoulder, but I am not sure if it is neuralgia or nerve entrapment. My pudendal pain started soon after my rubber band ligation, in the beginning the pain and burning was only in the perenium but now it is stabilised on the right, I am planning to contact a PN doctor. Thank you so much.

[Alan]

I had a caudal block back in June. The pain was gone for about 4 days. Felt great, like my old self. But, then the pain came back. Good luck.