Several types of injections can be used to diagnose and treat back and neck pain, and often an injection does both at once. Guided by X-ray, medication is placed precisely at a nerve or joint to confirm the source of pain or relieve inflammation, usually alongside physical therapy and other conservative care.
The main types of injections used to diagnose and treat spinal conditions include:
Most spine injections follow the same simple steps:
Preparation
You are positioned comfortably and the skin is cleaned and numbed.
Fluoroscopic guidance
Live X-ray guides the needle to the target nerve or joint.
Medication
A numbing agent, often with a corticosteroid, is delivered.
Assessment
Your response helps confirm the source of pain and plan next steps.
A diagnostic injection places numbing medication at a specific nerve or joint; if the pain is relieved, that spot is likely the source. A therapeutic injection delivers medication, often a numbing agent plus a corticosteroid, to reduce inflammation at the painful area.
The spine contains many closely positioned nerves and joints, and imaging does not always identify which one is causing pain. A diagnostic injection can pinpoint it.
The main types are trigger point injections, epidural steroid injections, selective nerve root blocks, facet joint injections, and sacroiliac (SI) joint injections.
A diagnosis only needs to be made once, but therapeutic injections are sometimes given in a series. Depending on your needs, two or three injections may be performed over several months.
Therapeutic injections are usually combined with physical therapy, stability exercises, oral medication, or lifestyle changes.
Yes. Fluoroscopy (live X-ray) guides the needle to the precise location for accuracy and safety.
The skin is numbed first, and most patients feel only brief pressure or discomfort during the injection.
Total Spine and Orthopedics provides pain management injections in Melbourne, Orlando (Lake Nona), and Titusville. Call (321) 499-4646.
Injections can:
Injections are outpatient procedures with a quick return home.
Same day
Home and rest
Most patients go home shortly after the injection.
Days
Medication takes effect
Steroid benefit typically builds over several days.
Weeks to months
Combined care
Physical therapy and exercise help extend the benefit.
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Expert, ultra-minimally invasive spine and orthopedic care, close to home.
Ultra-minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques
We specialize in procedures performed through incisions smaller than a dime, sparing muscle and supporting a faster recovery.
Same-day, outpatient procedures
Most patients walk in and return home within hours, rather than facing an overnight hospital stay.
Board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons
Our team includes early leaders in endoscopic spine surgery.
A complimentary MRI review
Understand your diagnosis and options from a board-certified specialist before committing to any treatment.
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A full range of injections
From diagnostic blocks to therapeutic injections, matched to the source of your pain.
Comprehensive spine and orthopedic care
From injections to advanced procedures, your full continuum of care is handled in one place.
Convenient locations across the Space Coast and Orlando
Care close to home in Melbourne, Orlando (Lake Nona), and Titusville.
