Pain Management
Spinal Injections
Spinal injections can both diagnose the source of your pain and deliver targeted relief. Dr. Kelly Boussert, our pain management specialist, performs spinal injections with precise image guidance at The Spine Center of Louisiana.
What Are Spinal Injections?
Spinal injections deliver medication directly to the source of your back or neck pain. Unlike oral medications that spread throughout the body, spinal injections place anti-inflammatory medicine, such as a corticosteroid, or a numbing anesthetic exactly where it is needed. Injections are performed with image guidance, using fluoroscopy (a live X-ray), to confirm the needle is placed precisely and safely.
Spinal injections serve two purposes:
Diagnostic
By numbing a specific structure, an injection can confirm whether that joint or nerve is the true source of your pain.
Therapeutic
Anti-inflammatory medication delivered to the pain source can calm inflammation and provide lasting relief.
Types of Spinal Injections We Offer
Epidural Steroid Injections
Anti-inflammatory medication delivered into the epidural space to calm irritated nerve roots in the neck or back.
Facet Joint Injections
Medication placed in the small joints along the spine that can become arthritic and painful.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injections
Targeted relief and diagnosis for pain originating in the SI joint, where the spine meets the pelvis.
Medial Branch Blocks
Numbing the small nerves that carry pain signals from the facet joints, often used to confirm a diagnosis.
Nerve Root Blocks
Medication delivered around a specific nerve root to relieve radiating pain in an arm or leg.
How Long Does Relief Last?
Relief varies from patient to patient and depends on the injection type and the condition being treated. Some patients feel relief for weeks; for others, relief can last up to a year. Diagnostic injections may provide only brief relief by design, but the information they provide helps guide your long-term treatment plan.
Am I a Candidate for Spinal Injections?
Spinal injections are often recommended when back or neck pain has not improved with conservative care such as rest, physical therapy, or oral medication. They can also be an important diagnostic step before considering surgery.
As with any procedure, spinal injections have risks that should be discussed between you and your medical provider. Request an appointment with Dr. Kelly Boussert to find out whether spinal injections are right for you.
What to Expect
Your Injection, Step by Step
Most spinal injections take just 15 to 30 minutes, and you go home the same day.
Numbing
A local anesthetic numbs the skin and tissue at the injection site.
Guided Placement
Using fluoroscopy, your physician guides the needle precisely to the target.
Confirmation
Contrast dye confirms the medication will reach exactly the right spot.
Medication Delivered
The medication is injected, you are monitored briefly, and you head home the same day.
Your Physician
Performed by Dr. Kelly E. Boussert
Dr. Boussert is a board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Management specialist who completed her Pain Management fellowship at Stanford University. She has a particular interest in cervical and lumbar spine interventions and is accepting new patients.
Meet Dr. BoussertFind the Source of Your Pain and Treat It
Request an appointment with Dr. Kelly Boussert to find out whether spinal injections are right for you. Urgent, same-day appointments are often available.