You can expect some of the following symptoms post-procedure:
- Increased low back pain for several days.
- To help relieve your pain during the first 1-2 days after your injection, place an ice pack on the injection site for up to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Take your pain medication as needed and resume your anti-inflammatory medication if previously ordered.
- Improvement in your pre-injection leg pain may not be noticed for the first 2-3 days, it may be delayed for up to 21 days.
- Increased neck, upper back and/or increased arm pain for 2-7 days.
- Improvement in arm pain may take as long as 2-3 weeks.
- Improvement in the back pain may be noticed in 7-14 days.
Call the SOAR office if you experience any of the following at 650.851.4900:
- Fever, temperature over 101.
- Severe headaches that disappear when lying flat and occur when standing up or headaches that are accompanied by nausea or vomiting.
- Skin rash, chills, or severe pain (i.e., 8-10 on a 0-10 scale).
- Large area with redness and warmth to the touch at the injection site.
- Plan on spending 2 hours at the procedure center (registration, procedure and observation). You will be in a chair or a gurney for 15-20 minutes after your procedure for observation.
- You should go home and rest the day of the procedure. Plan light to moderate activities after 3 days. Drink plenty of fluids, food as tolerated- begin with a light meal and progress to more substantial food later in the day.
- It is okay to resume physical therapy, if applicable, after the injection (usually 5 days after injection).
- You may restart your pilates or yoga classes 1 week after your procedure or as advised by your physician.
- You may resume your basic home physical therapy (stretching exercises, walking, swimming, low intensity stabilization exercises) exercises 3 days after your procedure or as advised by your physician.
- The cortisone used during the injection may take 7-10 days to start working to relieve the inflammation and swelling in your back/neck.
- A follow-up appointment should be scheduled with your doctor after your injection.