Spinal Injections &
Interventional Pain Management
Epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, facet injections, and radiofrequency ablation — targeted relief without surgery.
Epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, facet injections, and radiofrequency ablation — targeted relief without surgery.
Spinal injections are targeted, minimally invasive procedures that deliver medication directly to the source of pain in your spine. Using live fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance for precision, these injections can provide significant pain relief, reduce inflammation, and help diagnose the exact source of your symptoms.
At Restore Orthopedics & Spine, our interventional spine specialists use injections as both a treatment tool and a diagnostic tool. When an injection provides relief, it confirms the pain source — helping guide decisions about whether surgery is needed or whether ongoing injection therapy can manage your condition long-term.
Most spinal injections are performed as outpatient procedures, take 15-30 minutes, and patients can typically resume normal activities the same day or the following day.
Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) — Corticosteroid delivered into the epidural space to reduce inflammation around compressed nerves. The most common spinal injection for disc herniation and stenosis.
Selective Nerve Root Blocks — Targeted injection at a specific nerve root to diagnose and treat radicular pain in the arm or leg.
Facet Joint Injections — Medication delivered into the facet joints (small joints on each side of the spine) to relieve arthritis-related back or neck pain.
Medial Branch Blocks — Diagnostic injections to confirm facet joint pain before radiofrequency ablation treatment.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) — Uses heat to disrupt pain signals from facet joint nerves, providing 6-12+ months of relief.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injections — Targeted injection into the SI joint for lower back and buttock pain originating from SI joint dysfunction.
Many patients achieve adequate relief through injection therapy alone, avoiding the need for surgical intervention entirely.
Most injections take 15-30 minutes and are performed in-office or at an outpatient surgery center. Resume normal activities quickly.
Injections help pinpoint the exact pain source. When a specific injection relieves your symptoms, it confirms the diagnosis and guides treatment planning.
Injections can be repeated periodically and combined with physical therapy, medication, and other conservative treatments for comprehensive pain management.
Herniated disc — epidural injections to reduce nerve inflammation and radicular pain
Spinal stenosis — epidural injections to manage symptoms and improve walking tolerance
Facet joint arthritis — facet injections and radiofrequency ablation for chronic axial back or neck pain
Sciatica — selective nerve root blocks to treat radiating leg pain from lumbar nerve compression
SI joint dysfunction — SI joint injections for lower back and buttock pain
Post-surgical pain — injections to manage residual pain after prior spine surgery
Most patients experience only mild discomfort. Local anesthesia numbs the skin and deeper tissues before the injection. Many patients describe brief pressure rather than sharp pain. Light sedation is available for anxious patients.
Results vary. Epidural steroid injections typically provide 3 weeks to 3+ months of relief. Radiofrequency ablation can provide 6-18 months of relief. Some patients achieve long-lasting improvement, while others benefit from periodic repeat injections.
Generally, epidural steroid injections are limited to 3-4 per year per region to minimize steroid-related side effects. Radiofrequency ablation can be repeated once its effects wear off. Your doctor will develop a safe, individualized treatment plan.
Yes, diagnostic and therapeutic spinal injections are covered by most major insurance plans and Medicare when medically indicated. Our team handles pre-authorization.
Surgical options when injection therapy hasn't provided lasting relief for stenosis or herniated discs.
Epidural injections are first-line treatment for disc herniation — understand the full care pathway.
Learn the signs of common spinal conditions and when to seek evaluation.
Same-day referral processing. Most insurances accepted.
Restore Orthopedics & Spine welcomes patients from throughout Orange County — including Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Tustin, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Yorba Linda, Brea, Placentia, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Beach — as well as neighboring Los Angeles County communities including La Habra, Whittier, Downey, Cerritos, Long Beach, Lakewood, Norwalk, La Mirada, and Buena Park.
Same-week appointments available. Most insurances and Medicare accepted.