Steroid injection, now numbness?
 

Hello, I had a steroid injection in to my cervical spine last week, that night I started getting a numb feeling in one foot, when I woke up the next day the numbness was also in both my knee and foot, yesterday pain started in both areas along with the numbness, has anyone experienced this after a steroid shot?

I have a call in to the Dr but not hear back yet, I didn't have these problems before.

The pain in my neck is a little better, after getting worse for 3 days, but I feel sick to my stomach, don't want to eat, feel itchy under my skin, red face and lips, wide a wake during the night but was told by the nurse that sometimes happens.

The numbness and pain in left knee and foot are concerning to me.

Thank you and hope everyone has some relief from all this pain.

I've had the injections and had none of the after effects you're experiencing. It sounds a little like some allergic responses but the numbness and pain I'm positive are very wrong. Check your hospitals, phone book, or Internet for "Ask a Nurse," a phone line where you can talk live with an experienced nurse and usually get good, clear answers.

Please don't wait. Your doctor needs to know, if he has an emergency number or service that can contact him.

Roads

Thank you for your reply.

spoke with the Dr who performed the injection and he said this is nothing to do with the steroid injection, just funny it all started after I'd had it.

Also, am having a lot of pain in my left arm and fingers, again it goes between pain and numbness or both at the same time, my left arm did have a little pain before the shot but now it's terrible, my middle fingers feel as though they are broken and throbbing.

Steroid injection
 

My husband had an injection in his shoulder a few years back. He developed numbness then terrible pain, fever and nausea. He had the injection 3 days before we went on a 3 week cruise. He was so bad on ship we went to the ship doctor who examined and hospitalised him placing him on a drip for 24 hours and prescribed anti nausea tablets, antibiotics and painkillers. He said he had developed an infection from the injection and that it is quite a common occurrence.

Hi PamelaJune,

Sorry your husband went through so much, it is awful.

It just amazes me that I'm being told this all has nothing to do with the steroid injection, saw my Dr yesterday and I have very high blood pressure too from the shot, still pain/numbness in my left leg/foot and now burning/tingling on top of left foot and some toes, am being sent to a pain management place so hopefully they will be able to help.

Still feel sick to my stomach so hard to eat anything.

Hi Sitke
 

Best call your doctor. That does not sound like a good reaction to the medication used in the injection. If there isn't a great benefit to the injections don't do anymore. I am not a fan of them because of the risk. I tried several and they didn't do anything for me. Ketamine infusions worked for me for a period of 4 months each.
If you can't get a response from the doctor by phone, present yourself at the ER or his office. It just sounds like you didn't have a very good reaction to the medicine. ginnie:grouphug::eek:

Thanks ginnie! it's very frustrating, spoke with the Dr who gave the injection again today and he stands with this all having nothing to do with the actual injection and said he could now do another in my lumbar region because of the problems in my leg....this said over the phone and without even examining me, no thanks!! very scary.

Hi Sktke
 

You know your body better than the doctor does. It is indeed possible to get a bad reaction to the medication. Knowing you did, and then wanting to do another doesn't make any sense to me. He should never agree to another injection without exam and consultation. Look into a doctor called a physiatrist. Mine does specialize in pain. However they treat the whole person, not just a set of symptoms. Keep a journal, log what happened after this first injection. Try to find another doctor who may be more open to alternative treatments. Sometimes doctors do these injections when they don't know what else to do for you. Have you tried acupuncture? PT? any kind of pain patch? I use multiple approaches to the pain I have. Keep me informed, I am here to listen. These back issues are no fun at all....ginnie:grouphug:

Hi ginnie,

Yes, trying to find a physiatrist but it's been fun and games with that as my Dr keeps writing/sending the referral all the over except to the right place! very frustrating to say the least.

Tried to call some myself today but did not get very far.

Not tired acupuncture but was actually reading about it last night, have tried PT (back in PT right now) a TEN's machine which did nothing and all kinds of pain pills/muscle relaxers.

Every night I sit with warm bean bag contraptions around my neck and on my left arm/fingers it gets so bad. :(

Yes, back pain is awful, just went to take my dog for a walk but my back/neck gets so painful it's pure agony.