1. Slideshow: Low Back Pain
2. Take the Back Pain Quiz!
3. Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain

Medical Author:

Jason C. Eck, DO, MS

Jason C. Eck, DO, MS

Dr. Eck received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Catholic University of America in Biomedical Engineering, followed by a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University. Following this he worked as a research engineer

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

View Full Profile

There are several types of epidural steroid injections. They can be described according to the location they are given. Injections in the neck are called cervical epidural injections, while injections in the middle back are thoracic epidural injections, and injections in the low back are called lumbar epidural injections.

They can also be described according to the path of the needle. Most epidural steroid injections are placed between the lamina, known as interlaminar epidural steroid injections. The lamina are portions of the bones on the back side of the spine that are arranged like shingles. The needle is aimed upwards toward the head and passes between two adjacent lamina. Another type of injection is a transforaminal steroid injection. In this case the needle passes along the course of the nerve and enters the spine from a more diagonal direction.

Must Read Articles Related to Epidural Steroid Injection

Back Pain Back pain may be caused by sciatica, a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia, injury and pregnancy. Possible symptoms include pain that radiates down t...learn more >>

Lumbar Disc Disease Lumbar disc disease refers to three degenerative diseases that may cause low back pain: internal disc disruption, degenerative disc disease, and segmental insta...learn more >>

Neck Strain The portion of the spine contained within the neck is referred to as the cervical spine. That's the site for injuries known as neck strain. Symptoms include pai...learn more >>

See the Entire Epidural Steroid Injection Topic Guide »