Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
What is CESI?
A Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection (CESI) is an injection of cortisone steroid in your cervical spine (neck). The steroid is injected to calm the inflammation around the spinal roots, so they cannot transmit pain to the brain. Between each vertebra there is a sac called the ‘Dura’ which contains the nerve roots, Cerebrospinal fluid, Spinal Cord, and nerves. There is a space around the dura called the Epidural space which the nerves in the cervical spine travel through before going down the shoulders into the arms and hands. If one of these nerves is pinched or irritated, you may feel pain along the path in your shoulder, arms, or hands. This is called cervical radiculopathy.
How does it work?
A CESI uses a steroid to reduce inflammation to the nerves and therefore ease pain. The doctor will use X-ray guidance called Fluoroscopy to position the needle in the Epidural space. Once the needle is positioned, the doctor will inject a cortisone steroid solution which can take 2-3 days to start working and easing the inflammation. The relief felt from this procedure varies greatly from person to person, depending on the root cause of the pain.