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Guided Injections

Bursa Injection

 What is a Bursa Injection?

  • Bursa are small pockets of fluid located around where muscles and tendons glide over bones, around the joints.
  • The bursa’s function is to decrease the friction between the two surfaces as they move in different directions.
  • Bursitis occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed which can lead to pain and swelling.
  • A bursa injection involves injecting local anaesthetic and/or steroid into the bursa to reduce pain caused by bursitis.

What is involved in a Bursa Injection?

  • Your procedure will involve you being given intravenous sedation by an anaesthetist to help you relax during the procedure.
  • It is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed in a hospital theatre or day procedure centre under specialised imaging guidance. This allows your doctor to safely place a needle near the bursa and administer a small amount of local anaesthetic and/or steroid.

Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI)

(Caudal steroid injection, transforaminal epidrual steroid injection)

What is an Epidural Steroid Injection?

  • The spinal cord runs within the bony vertebral column and is protected by a membranous sac, called the dural sac. This sac contains spinal fluid which nourishes and bathes the spinal cord. The epidural space is found between the outer surface or the dural sac and the bones of the vertebral column.
  • Spinal nerve roots are found in the epidural space which, when irritated, can cause pain in the lower limbs.
  • An epidural steroid injection is used to treat pain associated with irritation and compression of the nerve root by a prolapsed disc, spinal canal stenosis or foraminal stenosis.
  • The aim of the steroid is to reduce inflammation, irritation and/or swelling in the epidural space which can reduce pain, numbness and tingling associated with your pain.

 What is involved in an Epidural Steroid Injection?

  • Your procedure will involve you being given intravenous sedation by an anaesthetist to help you relax during the procedure.
  • It is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed in a hospital theatre or day procedure centre under specialised imaging guidance.
  • This allows your doctor to safely place a needle in the target area and administer local anaesthetic and a long lasting steroid into the epidural space.

Piriformis Muscle Injection

What is a Piriformis Muscle Injection?

  • The piriformis muscle is a pear shaped muscle that attaches at the sacrum and greater trochanter (hip socket).
  • A piriformis muscle injection involves injecting local anaesthetic and either Steroid or Botox into the piriformis muscle.
  • Botox is injected to stop the piriformis muscle from spasming for a period of up to 3 months.
  • Steroid is injected to reduce inflammation, irritation and swelling around the muscle.

What is involved in a Piriformis Muscle Injection?

  • Your procedure will involve you being given intravenous sedation by an anaesthetist to help you relax during the procedure.
  • It is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed in a hospital theatre or day procedure centre under specialised imaging guidance. This allows your doctor to safely place a needle near the nerves that supply the piriformis muscle and administer a small amount of local anaesthetic and either steroid or botox.

Trigger Point Injection 

What is a Trigger Point Injection?

  • Trigger points are sensitive or irritable points in the body that can be a source of pain.
  • These points can be found in the skin, ligament and tendon tissue and can result in bands of pain known as referred pain.
  • This pain can be found at some distance from the actual source of the pain.
  • Causes of trigger point pain can include repetitive strain injuries, stress and muscular conditions, herniated discs, pinched nerves or surgical scars.

What is involved in a Trigger Point Injection?

  • A trigger point injection involves injecting local anaesthetic and sometimes steroid into the tender areas or trigger points.
  • No sedation is required and this can be done in our rooms.
  • Your Doctor will palate the trigger points and mark them with a marking pen.
  • The area will be cleaned with chlorhexidine or alcohol solution to reduce the risk of infection.
  • The area will be injected with local anaesthetic (with or without a steroid).
  • You will be monitored for 10-15 minutes post the injection, then you are allowed to go home.

The advice above is intended as a guide and each patient should discuss specific instructions with their care team.