Target Pain at the Source
Pain Relief Injections in Utah
Trigger point injections, nerve blocks and epidural steroid injections to calm pain where it starts, as part of a plan that also works on what caused it. Consultations at our Bountiful and South Jordan clinics.
What Are Pain Relief Injections?
Medication Delivered Where the Pain Starts
A pain relief injection places medication, usually a numbing agent, a steroid or both, at the muscle, joint or nerve that is causing pain. Because the medication goes where it is needed, it can calm pain and inflammation more directly than a pill.
Injections are often one part of a wider plan. They can quiet pain enough for you to sleep, move and do the physical therapy or chiropractic care that works on why it hurts. Some injections also help find the source: if numbing a nerve takes the pain away, your provider learns where the pain is coming from.
Every injection starts with a thorough evaluation, so the type of injection matches the source of your pain.
Types of Injections
Injections We Offer
Your provider will recommend the type that fits your pain:
- Trigger point injections for tight, painful knots in muscle, common in the neck, shoulders and low back, and they can contribute to tension headaches.
- Medial branch blocks for pain from the small facet joints of the spine. They numb the nerves that carry pain from those joints and help show whether the joints are the source.
- Genicular nerve blocks for chronic knee pain, numbing the nerves around the knee joint.
- Epidural steroid injections for pain from an irritated nerve root, such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, that often travels into an arm or leg.
These are commonly used for joint pain, sciatica, herniated discs, muscle spasms and headaches.
Before Your Injection
Is an Injection Safe for You?
Pain relief injections are generally safe, and serious problems are rare. Before any injection, your provider reviews your health and medicines, such as blood thinners, and asks about diabetes, pregnancy and any past reaction to a numbing medicine, a steroid or X-ray dye, so the injection fits you.
Many providers limit steroid injections to a few a year to protect your bones, and your provider keeps track. If an injection isn’t the right tool for you right now, physical therapy, chiropractic care or spinal decompression can carry more of the load.
What to Expect
Your Injection, Step by Step
- Evaluation. Your provider reviews your history, examines you and looks at any imaging to decide whether an injection fits and which kind.
- Preparation. You will be told how to prepare and whether any medication needs to be paused. The skin over the area is cleaned, and a numbing medication is often used first.
- The injection. The injection itself is usually quick, though spine injections can take 15 to 30 minutes, plus a short rest afterward. Epidural steroid injections and spine nerve blocks are typically guided by X-ray imaging so the medication reaches the right spot.
- Afterward. You may feel numb or sore at the site for a short time, and after an epidural steroid injection it is common to be sore for a few days. Your provider may ask you to take it easy for the rest of the day and will tell you when to return to your usual activities. If you are given a sedative, you will need someone to drive you home.
- When relief starts. A numbing medication can work within minutes. Steroid medication usually takes a few days to start working, and relief can last weeks to months.
- Follow-up. Your provider checks how much relief you got and uses that to plan what comes next.
Part of a Bigger Plan
Injections as Part of Your Wider Plan
An injection can turn down the volume on pain, which makes it a good time to build strength and movement. Injections can be used on their own or combined with physical therapy, chiropractic care or laser therapy, so you can make the most of that window of relief.
When a medial branch block or genicular nerve block points to where the pain is coming from, longer-lasting options such as radiofrequency ablation may be considered.
Your care starts with a consultation at our Bountiful or South Jordan clinic, where your provider will recommend the treatment, or combination of treatments, that fits your situation best.
Insurance Coverage
Are Pain Injections Covered by Insurance?
Most of our care is covered by many insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage varies by insurer, individual policy and the type of injection, and our team verifies your benefits before any care begins. If you were hurt in a car accident, we bill your available auto insurance (PIP) benefits directly.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Pain Injection FAQs
Do pain injections hurt?
Many people feel a pinch and some pressure. A numbing medication is usually used first, and soreness at the site for a day or two is common.
How long does an injection last?
It depends on the type. Trigger point injections often bring relief for about a month, and epidural steroid injections can last weeks to months. A nerve block given to find the source of pain usually wears off within hours or days, and that response helps your provider plan what comes next.
How many steroid injections can I have?
Many providers limit epidural steroid injections to two or three a year to protect your bones. Tell your provider about any steroid injections you have had elsewhere so they can keep track.
Are pain injections safe?
Yes, they are generally safe, and serious problems are rare. The most common effects are brief soreness or numbness at the site. Steroids can raise blood sugar for a few days, so tell your provider if you have diabetes.
Can an injection help me get more out of therapy?
Yes, that is one of the main reasons we use them. By calming pain and inflammation, an injection can make it easier to move, sleep and work on the cause with physical therapy or chiropractic care.
Do you take insurance for pain injections?
Most of our care is covered by many insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage varies by insurer, individual policy and the type of injection, and our team verifies your benefits before any care begins. After a car accident, we bill your available PIP benefits directly.