Epidural Steroid Injection in Delhi-NCR

Pain that shoots from your lower back down your leg, or from your neck into your arm, can make even a short walk or a night’s sleep difficult. When tablets, rest and physiotherapy have not given enough relief, many people are told about an epidural steroid injection.

An epidural steroid injection is a carefully targeted, image-guided procedure that delivers medicine right next to an irritated spinal nerve. On this page, Dr. Namrata Dabas, pain management specialist, explains in simple language how ESI works, who it may help, what the procedure feels like and what to expect afterwards.

What is an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a minimally invasive procedure in which a steroid (anti-inflammatory) medicine, often with a local anaesthetic, is placed into the epidural space. This is the fluid-filled cushion around your spinal nerves. It is used to calm nerve inflammation that causes back, neck, arm or leg pain.

Think of your spinal nerves as electrical wires running through a narrow tunnel. When a bulging disc or a narrowed passage presses on a nerve, the nerve becomes swollen and angry. An ESI delivers medicine to the exact spot, so the inflammation can settle without the medicine having to travel through your whole body.

In short, an ESI is a targeted treatment for nerve-related spinal pain, and it is not a general painkiller.

How does an epidural steroid injection relieve pain?

An epidural steroid injection relieves pain by reducing inflammation and swelling around a compressed or irritated spinal nerve. The local anaesthetic can give early relief, while the steroid works over the following days to calm the nerve.

Much of what you feel as sciatica or arm pain is not only pressure on the nerve but also the chemical irritation around it. Easing that inflammation can reduce pain and tingling, and it can make movement more comfortable. This gives many people a window in which they can take part in physiotherapy and strengthening exercises more easily.

The injection does not change the shape of a worn disc or a narrowed spinal canal. It settles the inflammation, and that is why it is usually combined with exercise and posture correction. How long relief lasts differs from person to person.

Which conditions can an epidural steroid injection help with?

An epidural steroid injection may help conditions where an inflamed spinal nerve is the main source of pain. These include slipped or bulging discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, nerve root pain (radiculopathy) and some types of neck-and-arm pain.

Common conditions include:

• Lumbar disc herniation (slipped disc): pain in the lower back that travels into the buttock, thigh or leg
• Sciatica: burning, shooting or electric-shock-like pain along the path of the sciatic nerve
• Spinal stenosis: narrowing of the spinal canal, often causing leg pain or heaviness on walking
• Cervical radiculopathy: neck pain spreading into the shoulder, arm or hand, sometimes with tingling
• Pain after spine surgery: in selected cases where nerve irritation continues

Whether an ESI is right for you depends on your symptoms, examination and scan findings. It is not suitable for every kind of back pain.

Who is a suitable candidate for an epidural steroid injection?

You may be a suitable candidate if you have nerve-related pain that has not improved enough with medicines, rest and physiotherapy, and if your scans match your symptoms. Your pain specialist decides this after a detailed evaluation.

An ESI is usually considered when:

• Leg or arm pain has continued for several weeks despite conservative care
• Pain is limiting your sleep, walking, work or daily routine
• An MRI or other imaging shows a likely nerve irritation that matches your symptoms

An ESI may not be advisable if you have an active infection, a bleeding disorder, are on blood-thinning medicines that cannot be safely paused, are allergic to the medicines or contrast dye used, or are pregnant. Sudden weakness in the legs or loss of bladder or bowel control is a medical emergency and needs immediate hospital care.

A thorough consultation helps ensure the injection is offered only when it is likely to be appropriate for you.

What are the different types of epidural steroid injections?

The three main types are interlaminar, transforaminal and caudal epidural steroid injections. They differ in the route used to reach the epidural space, and your doctor chooses one based on where your nerve is irritated.

• Interlaminar epidural injection: The needle enters between two vertebrae and the medicine spreads in the epidural space. It is used in the lumbar (lower back) and cervical (neck) regions.
• Transforaminal epidural injection: The needle is guided to the opening (foramen) from which a specific nerve root exits the spine. It suits pain from one particular nerve.
• Caudal epidural injection: The medicine is placed through a small opening at the base of the spine. It is often used for lower back and leg pain, including after spine surgery.

Depending on the area treated, an ESI is also described as lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck). Choosing the right type and level is part of what makes a procedure accurate and tailored to you.

How is an epidural steroid injection performed?

An ESI is performed as a day-care procedure, usually under local anaesthesia, with live X-ray (fluoroscopy) guidance to place the needle accurately. It typically takes about 15 to 30 minutes, and you go home the same day.

Here is what usually happens:

1. Positioning: You lie face-down (or on your side for a cervical injection), and monitors are attached.
2. Cleaning and numbing: The skin is cleaned thoroughly, and a local anaesthetic numbs the area.
3. Needle guidance: Using fluoroscopy, the needle is guided toward the target. A small amount of contrast dye is often used to confirm the right spot before any medicine is given.
4. Medicine delivery: The steroid and anaesthetic mixture is delivered slowly.
5. Observation: You rest briefly while the team monitors you before discharge.

Most people feel pressure or a brief tingle, and not sharp pain. Imaging guidance helps the medicine reach the intended nerve and supports a safer procedure.

How should you prepare for an epidural steroid injection?

Preparation is simple. Share your full medical history and medicine list with your doctor, follow instructions on blood thinners, carry your scans and reports, and arrange for someone to accompany you.

Before your procedure:

• Tell your doctor about all medicines, especially blood thinners such as aspirin, clopidogrel or warfarin. Never stop any of them on your own. Your doctor will advise what is safe.
• Mention any allergies, particularly to contrast dye, iodine, latex or local anaesthetics.
• Carry your MRI/CT scan, X-ray films and previous reports.
• Follow the fasting instructions your team gives you.
• Report fever, a skin infection or feeling unwell before the day of the procedure, as it may need to be postponed.

Good preparation helps your procedure go smoothly and keeps it as safe as possible.

What can you expect after an epidural steroid injection?

After an ESI, you rest for a short period, then go home the same day. Some people notice relief within a few days, while for others it builds gradually over one to two weeks. Mild soreness at the injection site is common and settles quickly.

In the first day or two, you may notice:

• Mild back or neck soreness where the needle went in
• Temporary numbness or a feeling of heaviness in the leg or arm from the local anaesthetic
• Your original pain being slightly different or lingering until the steroid starts working

A cold pack on the site and gentle movement usually help. Once your pain settles, your doctor may advise physiotherapy, core strengthening and posture correction to support the benefits. Responses differ, and results cannot be guaranteed. Follow-up helps your doctor decide the next step, including whether a repeat injection is needed.

What are the risks and side effects of an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural steroid injection is generally considered a safe procedure when done by a trained specialist with imaging guidance, but like any procedure it carries some risks. Most side effects are mild and temporary, and serious complications are uncommon.

Common and mild:

• Soreness or bruising at the injection site
• Temporary increase in pain for a day or two
• Facial flushing or a feeling of warmth
• Headache, especially when sitting or standing, from a small leak of spinal fluid (usually settles with rest and fluids)

Uncommon but important:

• Infection at the injection site or in the epidural space
• Bleeding around the spine
• Allergic reaction to the medicines or contrast dye
• Nerve irritation or injury

Contact your doctor promptly if you develop fever, severe or worsening headache, new weakness, numbness, or trouble passing urine or stool. Discussing the benefits and risks openly before the procedure lets you make an informed decision.

How is an epidural steroid injection different from other pain treatments?

An ESI works directly on the inflamed nerve, while oral painkillers act on the whole body and physiotherapy addresses strength and movement. For many people, these approaches work best together, and an ESI is often a bridge that makes rehabilitation possible.

• Compared with painkillers and muscle relaxants: these may help temporarily but do not target the nerve, and long-term use has its own concerns.
• Compared with physiotherapy alone: exercise is essential for recovery, but severe nerve pain can make it difficult to begin. An ESI can ease that barrier.
• Compared with surgery: ESI is non-surgical, done as a day-care procedure and does not need a hospital stay. Surgery may still be needed for certain conditions, and your doctor will tell you honestly if that is the case.

A pain specialist can help you understand where an ESI fits into your overall treatment plan.

Why consult Dr. Namrata Dabas for epidural steroid injection in Delhi-NCR?

Dr. Namrata Dabas is a pain management and regenerative medicine specialist who evaluates each patient individually before recommending any procedure. Treatment is planned around your diagnosis, scan findings and daily needs, and an injection is advised only when it is appropriate.

• Detailed evaluation first: your history, examination and imaging are reviewed together before a decision is made
• Image-guided precision: procedures are performed with fluoroscopic guidance
• A complete plan: medicines, rehabilitation, lifestyle guidance and, where suitable, other non-surgical options such as nerve blocks or regenerative treatments are considered alongside ESI
• Clear communication: benefits, limitations and risks are explained in plain language so that you and your family can decide with confidence

You deserve a plan made for your spine and not a standard injection for every back pain.

Where can you get an epidural steroid injection in Delhi-NCR?

Dr. Namrata Dabas sees patients across Delhi-NCR, so you can choose the location closest to you for consultation and treatment planning.

• Dwarka, Delhi (consultation): Manipal Hospital, Dwarka
• Sonipat, Haryana (procedures): Manipal Jivisha Cancer Centre. Contact: 8796173403
• Gurugram, Haryana (consultation): Manipal Hospital, Palam Vihar

Patients from Rohtak, Panipat, Karnal and other parts of Haryana and Delhi-NCR also travel to consult Dr. Namrata Dabas for spine and nerve pain care.

To discuss whether an epidural steroid injection could be right for you, book a consultation at your nearest centre.

Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. Treatment recommendations vary  from person to person and should always be based on an individual consultation and clinical evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.