I was referred to a pain management clinic for an injection.


The pain/tingling/numbness is in the right side of my neck, throat, right shoulder, and down my right arm.




So I go and get the injection.




Sedated for ten minutes, observed for thirty.




No bandaids or site tenderness anywhere on my neck or shoulder.




I get home in my usual pain and start itching.




I'm scratching around and find the sight injection.




On my left side, well below any cervical vertebrae, just inboard of the scapula.




WTF? Really?




Maybe my anatomy knowledge ain't that good?




Is there any connection between the left lumbar sine and the ride cervical spine?




Should I go off like a claymore tomorrow?






 

Depends on the injection. Cervical epidural steroids at usually injected at C7/T1 which is a lot lower than most people think.  It is the safest site for a Cervical epidural injection due to the width of the epidural space. Volume of injectate is then used to drive the medication to higher regions.  The entrance may be left sided because you most likely had a right handed physician standing at your head or that approach was clearer on fluoroscopy. It is rather irrelevant where the entrance puncture is  as the needle tip is then guided under fluoroscopy to the correct region. As the spinous processes of the cervical and thoracic spine point downward, one has to start at the skin much lower than the target and angle quite a bit upwards to enter the epidural space at the appropriate level.

The epidural space is like a hollow cylinder, it really doesn't matter the approach, right or left.
Most likely he did what he was supposed to.

Thanks a lot for the reply.

 

Is there typically a delay in effect?