I had surgery on my L4 L5 region in my back to remove a ruptured disc that was intruding on my nerve. Since surgery I have been in constant pain. My pain management doctor has already treated me a few times with injections which only have given me at the most a week of relief. He is now recommending another procedure using a solution of saline and acid to dissolve the scar tissue that is surrounding my nerve root at the L5 region. I am not sure what to think and the thought of acid scares me quite frankly. Is this procedure really neccesary and what are the side effects
Q: My doctor is talking about doing an epidural injection using saline and a mild acid
Answers (1)
10/20/09 9:48am
Throwing acid on a nerve scares me too. I have not seen any good scientific studies (or bad ones for that matter) that support the use of this procedure. Before you agree to be a ginea pig, I would ask to see the actual medical literature that supports the use of this procedure. A doctor should be able to show you the supportive evidence if he/she is practicing good, sound evidence-based medicine.
Nerves are very sensitive. Throwing acid on the situation is highly likely to make matters worse, in my opinion.
Dr. Christina Lasich, MD
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Thank You I did not want to go through with the procedure but it seemed like every procedure done at this time has not really worked and I find myself in the same situation. You are right it did seem like I was a ginea pig and that he was just trying things and hoping they would work.