Triangle Disc Care
Pain Relief without Injections
ESI vs Spinal Decompression Therapy
Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) and nerve blocks are both pain management techniques that involve the injection of corticosteroids directly into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord. Steroid Injections may provide short-term pain relief in about one half of the people who receive it. Symptoms sometimes remain better for weeks to months, but rarely up to a year. The procedure does not cure the cause of your spinal pain and is not without risks.
Spinal Decompression Therapy is a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure performed on a revolutionary computer-controlled hydraulic table that is in some ways similar to an old school traction table. By gently and slowly stretching the vertebra apart a negative pressure is created to help pull back the bulging disc to un-pinch the nerve. The purpose is not just pain relief but to improve the strength and flexibility of the involved disc and restore normal function.
High-dose steroid injections increase risk of:
- Degeneration of cartilage or tendons
- Scarring or weakening of spinal tissues
- Increased risk of spinal infection or bleeding
- Weakened immune system
- Elevated blood sugar (especially in diabetics)
- Bone thinning (osteoporosis – especially in older patients, particularly women)
- Avascular necrosis (bone death resulting in hip replacements)
- Adrenal gland suppression — your body may stop making enough cortisol on its own.
- Steroids are anti-inflammatory but do not fix the root cause (e.g., herniated disc / degenerative disc disease).
- More frequent injections often give less relief over time as well as increase the risk.
- Clinical guidelines (like those from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians) suggest spacing them out and limiting total doses to 3 per year. This helps balance pain relief with long-term safety, minimizing steroid-related side effects while buying time for other treatments like Spinal Decompression Therapy.
The Raleigh back doctor at Triangle Disc Care specializes in Spinal Decompression Therapy to help relieve back pain. Similar in some ways to old school traction this modern treatment works by separating the spinal vertebra, creating a vacuum inside the disc, which then promotes the retraction of the bulging disc tissue to stop back pain without surgery. Call today for a free consultation to see if you are a good candidate for this modern method of back care.
The purpose of the free consultation and free initial examination is to determine whether a specific individual patient is a good candidate for the services we provide. Factors such as chronicity of the condition, age and general fitness level of the patient, exercise and nutrition habits, adherence to the treatment plan and many other factors all influence outcomes as will be explained by the doctor during the consultation. Call Now! (919) 571-2515 or schedule online 24/7.