Side Effects of Cervical Epidural Injections

Cervical epidural injections are used to treat some types of chronic neck pain. Medicine is injected into the epidural space, which surrounds the dura of the spinal cord. Since the nerves of the neck are connected to the spinal cord, this helps reduce or relieve pain.

Bleeding or Fluid Leak

If the dura has been accidentally punctured, blood or fluid can leak into the epidural space. This rare complication usually resolves on its own within a few days or weeks, but if not, an epidural patch can be performed. Blood is taken out of an extremity and injected into the epidural space to stop the leak.

Spinal Headache or Stiff Neck

A fluid leak can lead to spinal headache and a stiff neck. The patient may have a constant headache that is not relieved by pain medication and/or not be able to move the neck more than a few inches, especially from side to side.

Infection

Since a protected space has been opened, it can get infected. This rare complication can result in epidural abscess or meningitis. Several cases have been reported in diabetics.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is rare, but can be fatal. Each case is different; the prognosis can range from motor and sensory loss in an extremity to spinal cord injury possibly leading to brain damage and/or death.

Hematoma

Hematoma is a rare complication that lead to quadriplegia, which is even rarer. In the few recorded cases, the patients were on anti-coagulants and made at least some recovery after surgical decompression.

References

• The Safe Use of Epidural Steroid Injections
• Northern Inyo Hospital
• Cervical Epidural Injections