Professor Iakiv Fishchenko · Patient information
After an epidural injection
The effect of an injection may develop gradually. Before going home, obtain personalised advice, a follow-up date and the team's contact details. The advice should take account of your condition, the approach and pain relief used.
On this page
The day of the procedure and going home
After the injection, remain under observation until the doctor says you can leave. The team assesses how you feel, muscle strength and sensation. Do not drive on the day of the procedure; arrange someone to accompany you and alternative transport in advance.
At home, follow your instructions for puncture-site care and medicines. If you have diabetes, monitor your glucose according to the agreed plan: a steroid may temporarily raise blood glucose.
Physical activity and your usual routine
The team's patient guidance advises avoiding strenuous activity, heavy lifting and sport for 24–48 hours after an injection. Agree your specific restrictions and return to work, driving and exercise with the doctor.
This advice concerns epidural injections. Catheter adhesiolysis has a separate inpatient protocol; the team will provide advice for recovery after its completion before discharge.
When to expect and assess the response
Pain may temporarily increase during the first few days. Early relief from a local anaesthetic is not the same as the steroid's eventual effect, which may develop over several days. The degree or duration of benefit cannot be guaranteed.
The team's patient guidance suggests discussing the response after 7–14 days; agree a specific date with your doctor. Record changes in pain, walking, sleep, daily activities and medication needs.
If there is no relief, or it is short-lived, you need a reassessment. Do not automatically plan another injection. An injection does not remove a disc herniation or relieve anatomical pressure on a nerve.
When urgent help is needed
Immediate assessment is needed for new or increasing limb weakness, bladder or bowel problems, numbness in the perineal area, shortness of breath or facial swelling, high fever, marked redness or discharge at the injection site, or a severe unusual headache.
In an emergency, call 103. Do not wait for a Telegram reply or a scheduled follow-up appointment.
Patient questions
When can I drive again?
Do not drive on the day of the injection. Agree your return to driving with the doctor, taking account of strength, sensation, how you feel and the pain relief used.
Does increased pain always mean a complication?
A temporary increase is possible, but severe unusual pain, new weakness, fever or other warning signs require medical assessment. Do not assume that deterioration is a normal reaction without discussing it with a doctor.
Do I need a second injection if the first did not help?
Not automatically. The response, diagnosis and alternatives need to be assessed first. There is no mandatory course of two or three injections.
Sources for this information
Sources: The professor's patient information: epidural injections · AAN, 2025: systematic review of epidural steroid effectiveness.
Next step
Let's start with your symptoms and MRI
Send your existing scans and a brief treatment history.
We will explain whether an injection or adhesiolysis may be appropriate, or whether another treatment should be discussed. The preliminary scan review is free.