Procedure day
Preparing for your procedure.
Eating and drinking, blood thinners, drivers, what to wear, what happens during, and how recovery usually goes — plus the symptoms that should prompt a call or an ER visit.
Arrange a driver if sedation is planned, follow the eating instructions you were given, take your usual medications unless told otherwise, and never stop a blood thinner on your own. Most procedures take 10–30 minutes; rest the day of and resume activity the next day.
Before the procedure
- Confirm your driver if sedation is planned — you cannot drive yourself home after sedation. Even without sedation, temporary numbness or weakness can occur, so a driver is recommended for spine procedures.
- Eating and drinking: with sedation, no solid food for 6 hours and clear liquids only until 2 hours before; without sedation, a light meal is fine.
- Medications: take blood pressure, heart, thyroid, seizure and most other medications with a sip of water. Follow the specific instructions you received for blood thinners and diabetes medication.
- Do not stop a blood thinner unless our office and your prescribing physician have both told you to.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Leave jewelry at home. Bring your ID, insurance card and medication list.
- Tell us about any allergy to contrast dye, iodine, latex, local anesthetics or steroids, and if you might be pregnant.
What happens during
- Check-in and a brief review of your symptoms and consent.
- You are positioned on a padded table; the skin is cleaned and numbed.
- The physician uses fluoroscopy (live X-ray) or ultrasound to guide the needle and confirms position, often with a small amount of contrast dye.
- Medication is delivered or the treatment (for example, radiofrequency ablation) is performed. Most procedures take 10–30 minutes.
- You are observed briefly, given written after-care instructions, and released with your driver.
After the procedure
- Rest the remainder of the day. Ice the site 15–20 minutes at a time for soreness.
- Numbness or weakness from local anesthetic can last a few hours; walk carefully and avoid stairs alone until it wears off.
- A short-term increase in pain for 1–3 days is common after steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation before improvement begins.
- Keep a simple pain diary — especially after diagnostic blocks, where the hours of relief tell us whether the target was correct.
- Resume normal activity the next day unless told otherwise; avoid strenuous exercise for 48 hours.
When to call us — and when to go to the ER
When to get emergency care
Call the office the same day for:
- Fever over 100.4°F, or redness, warmth or drainage at the injection site
- A headache that is much worse sitting or standing and better lying flat (possible spinal headache after an epidural)
- Blood sugar that stays high after a steroid injection
- Pain that is severe and different from your usual pain
Go to an emergency room or call 911 for new or worsening leg or arm weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin area, chest pain, trouble breathing, or an allergic reaction with swelling or hives.
Questions before your date
Call (832) 916-2075, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. If you need to reschedule, please give 24 hours’ notice so another patient can use the time. See patient policies.
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat before my procedure?
If you are having sedation: no solid food for 6 hours and only clear liquids until 2 hours before. Without sedation, a light meal is fine. Your instructions will say which applies.
Should I stop my blood thinner?
Never stop a blood thinner on your own. Tell us at scheduling if you take warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, clopidogrel, prasugrel, ticagrelor or enoxaparin. Our team coordinates with the prescribing physician; spine injections usually require a hold, joint and some nerve procedures may not.
I have diabetes — anything special?
Steroid injections can raise blood sugar for several days. Check your glucose more often and call your prescribing physician if readings stay high. Take your usual medication unless told otherwise.
What if I am sick?
Call if you have a fever, an active infection, a rash near the injection site, or are on antibiotics — the procedure is usually postponed until you are well.
When can I go back to work?
Most patients rest the day of the procedure and return to normal activity the next day. Physical jobs may need one to two days. Your physician will tell you what to expect.
Request an appointment
Call (832) 916-2075 or request an appointment online. New patients are welcome; the team confirms insurance and referral requirements before scheduling.