Community Chat

[Lotus]

Thanks sfnative....your post was very informative....especially the part about my thyroid.

[Lotus]

I had my back injection last Thursday.....happy to report that (for now) my lower back pain is probably 85-90% improved.....enough so, that I was able to walk into a grocery w/o having to hold on to a shopping cart. I was also able to go for a walk up at the track.....back was fine.....hips still in pain though. So, I'm sure it is Bursitis.

I had to check in with the Pain Mgmt Dr yesterday....to report in as to how I was feeling. He said that when I was ready to call for an appointment for the cortisone shots in my hips....and of course to call if my back pain returned.

Thanks again for everyone's posts.

[Cakers1]

Lotus: I'm glad the shots worked so well. I know the feeling about holding onto the shopping cart, believe me.

Good luck.

[sfnative]

Lotus,

The use of a C-arm or real-time fluoroscopy is essential to the initial placement and advancement of the needle that will be used to inject the steroid. The C-arm projects a picture onto a monitor that looks like a large computer monitor. The technology is really quite amazing. It will allow your physician to be spot on with the injection. I wouldn't have such an injection without a C-arm.

Good luck!

[kdgn]

Lotus- Glad to see that you've had some real relief. Now when are you scheduling the hips?

[Tinkrbl44]

I've had cortisone shots in my neck and feet. In my neck, the actual shot wasn't too bad and I'm VERY glad with the outcome.

However, when I had cortisone shots to relieve pain from plantar fascitis, the podiatrist told me in advance that the nerves in the feet make the shots very painful ...... and feel free to swear all I want. Well, she was right. Yikes! Glad I had those shots, too, but they were much worse than the shots in my neck area!

[Lotus]

On 4/25/2014 sfnative said:

Lotus,

The use of a C-arm or real-time fluoroscopy is essential to the initial placement and advancement of the needle that will be used to inject the steroid. The C-arm projects a picture onto a monitor that looks like a large computer monitor. The technology is really quite amazing. It will allow your physician to be spot on with the injection. I wouldn't have such an injection without a C-arm.

Good luck!

I had the fluoroscopy for the lumbar spine....it was done in an OR type setting.

He will just do the hips right in the office.

kdgn.....I'm thinking about going next week.....probably Thurs. I'll call the office on Monday to make my appointment.

[Shorty2U]

I had hip injections in my right hip which has bursitis and some arthritis. They did not help me. (But my steroid epidurals and facet injections used to help me for my back issues. They no longer do but Ive gotten them for 13 years). Anyway Id try it if I were you and you are suffering. Good luck!

[baddest_dog]

On 3/14/2014 sfnative said:

Hi Lotus,

I worked in surgical training for a number of years and 60% of it was relative to Ortho. We also trained Residents in Pain Management. Both Ortho and our Pain Management folks use real time imaging (fluoroscoopy) by means of a device called a "C-arm."

The C-arm has two parts. The first part is the "tower" on which is a monitor that shows the doctor your images. The second, and largest part, is the C-arm itself, which has a base with controls for movement and the like. The "C" part is attached to the base and is either large or small, depending on whether it's a large or small C-arm. For your procedure, a large C-arm will be used. For this, you will be placed on a radiolucent table and the lower part of the "C" will be rolled under the table and the upper part of the "C" will be above you.

Yes, this C-arm does emit some radiation, so be sure to ask for a tiny lead "apron" to cover your thyroid gland, even though you'll be on your stomach.

The C-arm does not cause pain or discomfort. Your physician and assistant will position you comfortably with pillows, etc.

The best of luck to you.

~R

I have had cortisone injections in both cervical and lumbar areas multiple times under fluoro and never, ever was covered with any kind of lead apron.

And I have had injections in both hips, knees, shoulders and fingers, none of those was fluoro guided and never heard of that for these areas. Spine is different because the area is so close to nerve endings but hips are mostly going through fat and muscle, and those have never hurt at all.

She would not be on her stomach for hip injections, that is for the back. Every hip injection I had (5) I was either sitting on the table or standing up and that was it.