Injections for work-related cervical or neck injury are a treatment option covered by Wisconsin workers compensation benefits.
Spinal injections are used for treatment and diagnostic purposes. Injections are usually a mixture of an anesthetic and some type of cortisone preparation. The anesthetic is a medication that numbs the area where it is injected. If the injection takes away the pain immediately, this suggests the injected area is the source of pain. The cortisone decreases inflammation and can reduce the pain from an inflamed nerve or joint for a period of time.
Some injections may require the use of a fluoroscope. A fluoroscope is a special type of X-ray that allows the doctor to see an X-ray picture continuously on a TV screen and guide the needle into the correct place.
Epidural Steroid Injection: Neck pain or pain that spreads down the arm may require treatment with an epidural steroid injection (ESI). In an ESI, the medication mixture is injected into the epidural space around the nerve roots. Generally, an ESI is given only when other nonoperative treatments aren’t working. ESIs are not always successful and may only provide temporary relief.
Selective Nerve Root Injection: Another injection places steroid medication around a specific inflamed nerve root, a selective nerve root injection. The fluoroscope is used and the nerve root is then bathed with the medication. Some doctors believe this procedure gets more medication to the painful spot. Selective nerve root injection can also help surgeons decide on the correct surgery.
Facet Joint Injection: When the problem is thought to be in the facet joints (where the vertebrae meet), an injection into the facet joints can help determine the location and ease the pain. The fluoroscope is used to guide a needle directly into the facet joint which is then filled with medication mixture. If the injection immediately eases the pain, it helps confirm that the facet joint is a source of pain and will reduce the inflammation in the joint and may reduce or eliminate your neck pain.
Trigger Point Injections: Injections of anesthetic medications mixed with a cortisone medication are sometimes given in the muscles, ligaments, or other soft tissues near the spine. These injections are called trigger point injections. These injections can help relieve neck pain and ease muscle spasm and tender points in the neck muscles.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin attorneys at McCormick Law Office get the best workers comp settlements in work-related cervical or neck injury cases where the facts line up with the law. The key is expertise in knowing the law, shining a light on the important facts and garnering the necessary expert opinions. This is what we do.
