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Spinal injections
- Widest range of private spinal treatments in London*
- Appointments in as little as 24 hours**
- Care rated as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ by 97% of our orthopaedic and spinal patients***
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SPINAL INJECTIONS AT HCA UK
Why choose us?
When you're looking for an answer for back pain you need access to consultants with the experience and expertise to understand your condition and tailor your treatment to your specific needs.
At HCA UK, our spinal team includes some of the UK’s leading spinal orthopaedic and neurosurgical consultants. Using the latest imaging technology, our teams are able to diagnose your condition quickly and accurately, giving you fast access to the most effective course of treatment, and getting you back to doing the things you love.
It’s this approach that has helped people just like you and it’s why 97% of our orthopaedic patients said they’d recommend HCA UK to their family and friends.***
Spinal injections can help ease pain in your back, leg, neck or arms and may be considered when you haven’t responded to other therapies. Having an injection can also help diagnose the source of pain and can help reduce inflammation. Most spinal injection treatments take around 30 minutes to perform.
There are different types of spinal injection depending on where it is given and the condition being treated. These can take place under X-ray or CT guidance:
- Caudal epidural: given as a treatment for spinal disc prolapse, an anti-inflammatory medicine, such as triamcinolone, prednisolone, dexamethasone, or hydrocortisone, is injected directly into the epidural space in the spine. This aims to reduce secondary chemical nerve inflammation.
- Dorsal root ganglion block: this can be performed in conjunction with pulsed radiofrequency to offer relief from chronic neuropathic leg pain.
- Facet joint injection: these thumbnail-sized pairs of joints in the neck, mid and lower back (the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar regions respectively) connect vertebra in the spinal column, giving you the stability and flexibility to move and rotate. A steroid injection is used to reduce inflammation.
- Nerve root injection: similar to a caudal epidural, nerve root injections target a particular nerve, (when more than one nerve is compressed) to block painful impulses from irritated nerves, and to diagnose and treat limb pain.
Spinal injections are used to reduce chemical inflammation (the body’s response to a mechanical irritant such as a disc prolapse), and numb painful nerve signals, helping the nerve pain and associated radiation down the affected limb to settle.
Spinal injections can also offer effective relief from acute and chronic back pain as part of a comprehensive programme which includes stretching and strengthening exercises through physical therapy.
Spinal injections can also offer effective relief from acute and chronic back pain as part of a comprehensive programme which includes stretching and strengthening exercises through physical therapy.
You'll be asked to lie on your stomach for a lumbar spine injection. Your consultant will use an X-ray called a fluoroscopy to get real-time moving internal images of your spine on a screen, to help position the needle safely. Whilst you are under light sedation, they will inject a small amount of a dye, followed by a mixture of local anaesthetic and a steroid solution to reduce the inflammation and numb the nerves.
It is variable from patient to patient. The pain may disappear completely initially due to the numbing effect. When the local anaesthetic wears off (normally after 4-6 hours), you may experience breakthrough pain until the steroid takes effects (hours to days). Your consultant will let you know how to gradually build up to your normal day-to-day activities after your procedure.
Exercise programs to maintain or improve spinal mobility through stretching and stability are also recommended.
Exercise programs to maintain or improve spinal mobility through stretching and stability are also recommended.
The type of anaesthetic you are offered will depend on the type of injection and your condition. Cervical injections may be performed under a general anaesthetic, while other injections tend to be performed under light sedation which most patients find very comfortable and convenient.
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spinal treatments – tailored for you
97%
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Appointments confirmed in 24 hours
Speak to the right expert as soon as possible.
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With results in as little as 48 hours.**
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With the widest range of private spinal treatments in London*
The spinal injection process
What to expect
From the moment you step through the door, until you’re ready to leave, we want you to feel as comfortable and reassured as possible. One of the ways we can put you at ease is to let you know what to expect at each stage.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here or in the FAQ section below, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team will be happy to help in any way they can.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here or in the FAQ section below, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team will be happy to help in any way they can.
01
Initial consultation
Whether you’ve self-referred or have a referral from a GP, the first step will be an initial consultation to find out more about your health, medical history, symptoms, examination, and to answer any questions you may have.
It's important to tell your consultant about any medications you're currently taking, especially blood thinners, as these would need to be stopped before a procedure. Your consultant will also explain any possible risks and side effects, and discuss alternatives to injection therapy.
It's important to tell your consultant about any medications you're currently taking, especially blood thinners, as these would need to be stopped before a procedure. Your consultant will also explain any possible risks and side effects, and discuss alternatives to injection therapy.
02
Tests and scans
During your initial appointment, your consultant will usually request an MRI, if one hasn’t been done recently, to gain a better picture of your overall health and the specific condition requiring treatment.
Once they’ve confirmed your diagnosis, our specialists will put together the most effective treatment plan for you. They will take the time to talk you through the operative steps, using a spine model and your MRI as reference.
We will obtain your written consent and seek your verbal consent for your details to be shared onto the British Spine Registry (a way of tracking your progress through your patient journey).
Once they’ve confirmed your diagnosis, our specialists will put together the most effective treatment plan for you. They will take the time to talk you through the operative steps, using a spine model and your MRI as reference.
We will obtain your written consent and seek your verbal consent for your details to be shared onto the British Spine Registry (a way of tracking your progress through your patient journey).
03
Injection procedure
Your consultant will ask you not to move during the procedure because the injection site needs to be very precise.
Most spinal injection treatments take up to 20 minutes to perform and are day cases. This includes the safety checks, positioning, starting anaesthesia, the procedure itself, and a debrief.
You’ll wake up in recovery and, once the nurse is happy, you’ll return to the ward where you will be monitored. You can be discharged home once you are walking safely, and have been able to empty your bladder. You will need to arrange for someone to take you home, as you shouldn't drive immediately following the procedure.
Most spinal injection treatments take up to 20 minutes to perform and are day cases. This includes the safety checks, positioning, starting anaesthesia, the procedure itself, and a debrief.
You’ll wake up in recovery and, once the nurse is happy, you’ll return to the ward where you will be monitored. You can be discharged home once you are walking safely, and have been able to empty your bladder. You will need to arrange for someone to take you home, as you shouldn't drive immediately following the procedure.
04
Follow-up and ongoing care
It can take time before you feel the effects of an injection. Your consultant will let you know how to gradually build up how much you can do, as exercise programs to maintain or improve spinal mobility through stretching and stability are also recommended.
Where can I have my spinal injection procedure?
Across our extensive network of hospitals and treatment centres, our leading consultants are here to support you, from initial consultation through to your spinal injection procedure and aftercare. You can have your procedure at the following locations:
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2FQ Birmingham
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
The Wellington Hospital
Wellington Place St John's Wood NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all of our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll give you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Spinal injection FAQs
It’s important to tell your doctor about any medications you’re on. If you’re taking any medicines, particularly anti-inflammatory or blood-thinning medicines, you may be asked to stop taking these for a few days before the procedure.
If you’re having the procedure done under local anaesthetic, you may feel some light pressure during the injection, but you generally won’t feel any pain.
You may need to take it easy for a day or two after the procedure, but you can usually get back to normal day-to-day activities quite quickly. The majority of patients can get back to work between one and three days following the injection. You may just be asked to limit excessive bending, twisting and reaching for a week.
No, you should not drive your care after an injection. Please arrange for family or friend to accompany you home.
Spinal injections can be a very effective solution for spinal or limb pain, but complete relief cannot be guaranteed, and we cannot predict how long that relief will last.
The hope is that the injection will help you manage pain and inflammation without daily medication. However, the pain-relieving effects can wear off over time, so you may need further treatment, guided by your specialist.
The hope is that the injection will help you manage pain and inflammation without daily medication. However, the pain-relieving effects can wear off over time, so you may need further treatment, guided by your specialist.
Spinal injections are generally low-risk, although some risks or side-effects are possible. Some patients may report a little soreness at the site of injection site, which usually goes away within the day.
Your doctor will discuss all potential risks with you before the procedure, normally in clinic when obtaining your consent.
Risks can include bleeding, infection, nerve damage, dural leak (puncture of the nerve sac with leakage of spinal fluid), haematoma (local blood clot), rash (allergic reaction to an iodine-based dye – although this can be avoided), recurrence of symptoms, urinary retention (due to the local anaesthetic numbing the nerves to the bladder; this may require the temporary insertion of a catheter to decompress the bladder). There is an extremely small chance of eye sight damage (blindness – but this is 1 in 3 million).
Your doctor will discuss all potential risks with you before the procedure, normally in clinic when obtaining your consent.
Risks can include bleeding, infection, nerve damage, dural leak (puncture of the nerve sac with leakage of spinal fluid), haematoma (local blood clot), rash (allergic reaction to an iodine-based dye – although this can be avoided), recurrence of symptoms, urinary retention (due to the local anaesthetic numbing the nerves to the bladder; this may require the temporary insertion of a catheter to decompress the bladder). There is an extremely small chance of eye sight damage (blindness – but this is 1 in 3 million).
Side-effects of steroids include headache, facial flushing, transient rise in blood pressure or sugar levels (especially in the context of poorly controlled hypertension or diabetes), sweating, menorrhagia (irregular menstrual bleeding, for example during IVF cycles). Patients with a history of depression, could experience a rebound depressive episode.
Patient stories
Getting back to normal after spinal surgery: Ruth’s story
When consultant spinal surgeon Mr Robert Lee first glanced at the MRI scan of retired music teacher Ruth’s lumbar spine, he did a double take.
Back on track: How surgery helped a visitor from America get free from pain
Brandon Zuck had just arrived in the UK from America. It was the beginning of a holiday he’d been looking forward to, a chance to catch up with friends, a little sightseeing. Needless to say, a complex surgical procedure was not on the must-do list.
"I took an eight-hour flight to the States ten days after spinal surgery"
After suffering months of discomfort, Sara’s lower back and shooting leg pain became so excruciating she could barely stand, and was diagnosed with a slipped disc. Her consultant referred her to Mr Irfan Malik, a highly experienced consultant neurosurgeon at The Harley Street Clinic who could perform endoscopic ‘keyhole’ spinal surgery.
“The level of care and attentiveness I got...was great – so focused. Everybody was so accommodating, and right on top of everything the whole time. They were great.”
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*Based on private orthopaedic volumes as reported by PHIN (Private Healthcare Information Network).
**Based on availability across all HCA UK facilities.
***Based on our 2024 orthopaedic patient satisfaction surveys at HCA UK hospitals.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.