Patient instructions

Please wear loose clothing and leave your contact lenses at home.
Stop all non-steroidal medications such as aspirin, Motrin, Vioxx, Celebrex, Aleve, Naproxen, Bextra, vitamin E or multivitamins for four (4) days prior to procedure.
Do not take any diuretics (Lasix, etc.).
Do not eat or drink anything for eight (8) hours prior to procedure.
Patients that take blood pressure medication or heart medication may take them the morning of the procedure with a small sip of water.
We request that patients call the office the day after the procedure to let us know how they are doing.
Patients must be driven home from surgery center by an adult 18 years or older.
We request that someone be home with you for 24 hours after the procedure.
No driving or operating heavy machinery until the following day.

Discharge instructions

You may eat or drink anything you want. If you have an upset stomach, you may want to drink liquids until it passes.
Limit your activity today; have someone stay with you for 12-24 hours.
You may place ice packs on the injection site for 20 minutes, 2-3 times a day for the next 2-3 days, if the injection site is sore.
You may remove the bandage and take a shower tomorrow. Keep the injection site clean and dry.
Only take the pain medications that your doctor prescribed.

Do not smoke for 48 hours.
Do not lift heavy objects and do not do strenuous activity.
If you have had an injection in your neck, do not do any cooking for 24 hours to prevent unintentional burns to your hands if they are numb.
Be careful when using a body part that is tingling or weak, and do not apply heat on that body part to prevent burns.

You may experience some tingling and weakness of your arms/hands or legs/feet, but it should get better over the course of the day.
You may experience some tenderness at the injection site. The tenderness should get better over the next couple of days.
The pain you are being treated for may actually get worse or stay the same for the first day. Once the steroid starts working, the pain should get better in 2-3 days.

Swelling, redness or increasing pain at the injection site
Pus or increased bleeding from the injection site
Severe pain or extreme weakness
Fever over 100°F
New and prolonged headache
Continuous ringing in the ears
If you have not urinated within eight (8) hours after having left the surgery center, first go to the emergency room, then call your doctor's office.
If you are experiencing any trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911.

If you have any questions, feel free to call your doctor's office.