: Does epidural block injection work and for how long? I have degenerative disc desease and have already had surgery 4 years ago.
Yes the epidurals work!! I have had 7 back surgeries and these blocks have really helped. the answer to how long depends on your situation, usually they look at a series of 3 blocks and the relief in time grows with each one. I have also had 6 or 7 long term continuous epidurals that lasted from 4- 12 weeks in duration. they gave me relief for 9-12 months at a time. Relief defined as using my pain killers with and having good pain control. Unfortunately I have rsds as a complication of the nerve damage caused by disc fragmentation and compression of the nerves. I have graduated ( for lack of a better way to state my status with pain) to an interthecal morphine pump. I had better success with the epidurals.