Dr Hussien El-Maghraby offers epidural steroid injections as part of a tailored approach to spine care, helping patients manage pain while avoiding unnecessary surgery.
What are epidural steroid injections?
Epidural steroid injections are a commonly used minimally invasive treatment for patients experiencing back pain, neck pain, sciatica or nerve-related symptoms that have not improved with physiotherapy or medication alone..
How epidural steroid injections work
An epidural steroid injection delivers a powerful anti-inflammatory medication, usually combining a steroid medicine with a local anaesthetic, directly into the epidural space around the spinal nerves. When a disc herniation, spinal stenosis or degenerative change causes irritation and swelling around a nerve, pain signals can travel down the arm or leg. By reducing inflammation at the source, the injection can ease pain, numbness and tingling, allowing the nerve to recover and function more normally.
By calming inflammation, it often enables patients to participate more effectively in physiotherapy and rehabilitation, supporting longer-term improvement.
Who can benefit from epidural steroid injections
This treatment is particularly helpful for patients with sciatica, leg pain, arm pain, disc herniation, spinal stenosis or nerve root compression. It is often recommended when symptoms persist despite conservative measures, such as physiotherapy or medication, and before surgical intervention is considered.
Patients who are not suitable for surgery, or who wish to delay or avoid surgery, may also benefit.
Dr El-Maghraby carefully assesses each patient’s symptoms, imaging and overall health to determine whether an epidural injection is likely to be effective.
What happens during an epidural steroid injection
The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic, sometimes with light sedation. Using live X-ray guidance, the injection is placed with precision to ensure the medication reaches the affected nerve safely.
The procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes, and patients are able to go home the same day.
As pain-relief delivery by the epidural steroid injection is short-term, usually only lasting a few weeks, Mr El-Maghraby may recommend repeat injections until the pain is gone.
What is recovery like after an epidural steroid injection?
Most patients experience minimal discomfort, with some soreness around the injection site that subsides in a few days. Pain relief may occur within a few hours, although for some it develops gradually over a week. Patients are advised to avoid strenuous activity for 24-48 hours and may return to light activity on the same day.
Because the treatment is minimally invasive, recovery is quick, and there is no surgical wound or prolonged downtime. Epidural steroid injections can play a valuable role in reducing pain, improving mobility and supporting recovery without the need for open surgery.
Dr Hussien El-Maghraby,
experienced spinal surgeon
With over 20 years of UK consultant neurosurgery experience, Dr Hussien El-Maghraby is a leading spinal surgeon based in the heart of London.
Dr El-Maghraby specialises exclusively in minimally invasive spine care, offering modern, patient-centred treatments for back pain, neck pain and spinal disorders – from laser disc decompression to advanced injections, cement augmentation and 3D/AI-guided spinal decompression.
Understanding the needs of international patients, Dr El-Maghraby places special emphasis on serving people from the Middle East visiting London for treatment – offering clear communication, compassionate care, and expert spinal surgery under UK standards.