Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injections
A thoracic epidural steroid injection is a targeted, non-surgical treatment for upper back pain, mid-spine pain, and nerve pain that originates in the thoracic spine - the twelve vertebrae between your neck and lower back. By delivering anti-inflammatory corticosteroid medication directly into the epidural space surrounding the thoracic spinal nerves, the injection reduces nerve root inflammation at its source rather than simply masking symptoms with oral medication.
At Sports Pain Management NYC (SPIN), thoracic epidural steroid injections are performed by Dr. Febin Melepura using fluoroscopic (real-time X-ray) guidance to ensure the medication is placed precisely at the correct spinal level. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes, sedation is available, and most patients are ready to go home within 30–45 minutes of their appointment.
Ready to get relief from thoracic spine pain?
Same-day appointments available for thoracic epidural steroid injection evaluation and treatment.
Reasons You May Need a Thoracic Epidural Cortisone Steroid Injection
Back pain is one of the main complaints your doctor hears for many reasons. Whether you're an active weekend golfer, a professional athlete, or a worker who sits in front of a computer all day, you can develop thoracic spine pain.
Common causes that lead to your need for thoracic epidural cortisone steroid injections include:
Diagnosing Your Thoracic Spine Pain
Prepare to give your doctor details about any trauma you may have had recently that seemed to coincide with your back pain. A thorough history of previous back problems and your activity level also help him reach a clear diagnosis.
Diagnostic tests may include x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, which can help your doctor rule out other causes of pain, such as tumors. If you're pregnant, taking blood thinners, or have an infection, you may not be eligible to receive a thoracic epidural cortisone shot.
Cortisone Shot: What to Expect
The procedure is beneficial for all kinds of diagnoses, including upper back pain, middle back pain, and back injuries that cause thoracic back pain.
For your safety, don't take any pain relief or anti-inflammatory medications before the procedure. Talk to our top-rated sports medicine specialist in NYC about what to eat and what medications are allowed before the cortisone shot. The steps taken for the thoracic epidural steroid injection include:
You're asked to lie on your stomach on a fluoroscopy table that provides real-time x-rays to help your doctor diagnose the needle. You may be offered a sedative to relax during the procedure if you're nervous.
The area of the cortisone injection site is then cleansed and sanitized with an antibacterial solution and prepped for the initial injection.
A numbing agent is applied to the cortisone injection site, so you don't feel the needle. The numbing agent might give you a slight sting.
Next, the needle with the medication is injected into the spot deemed to be the source of your pain.
The entire procedure very often takes just 10 minutes or less. After the procedure, you're asked to stay in the recovery room for anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes for observation. It's normal to feel slight discomfort or soreness in the area of the cortisone shot. An ice pack at home for the first day or two helps alleviate this soreness.
Ready to find relief from thoracic spine pain?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for thoracic epidural steroid injection evaluation and treatment.
After Cortisone Shot Treatment and Recovery
Within about 48 to 72 hours of your injection, the effects of the treatment begin to take effect. You receive the intended relief in the injured part of your spine.
Follow-up appointments are necessary with your Manhattan pain management doctor because thoracic epidural steroid cortisone injections typically are done in a series of three shots, each about two weeks apart, depending on the severity of your pain and the success of the first epidural.
Side Effects and Benefits
You may experience immediate pain relief in your upper back and shoulders, indicating that the injection was put in correctly. If pain continues, however, during the following days, and a tender or sore feeling returns to the location of the cortisone shot, you may be experiencing a rare side effect that could include:
Bruising
Swelling at the site of the cortisone injection
Increasing local pain
Infection
Facial flushing
Nerve damage
Most of these side effects usually dissipate within 24 hours. Thoracic epidural steroid injections or cortisone shots are safe and highly effective, but serious side effects can occur. Call your doctor if you experience:
Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injection in NYC
At SPIN (Sports Pain Management NYC), thoracic epidural steroid injections are performed by Dr. Febin Melepura - a board-certified pain management specialist recognized nationally among America's Top Doctors™. Our Midtown Manhattan procedure suite is equipped with fluoroscopic imaging for every spinal injection, allowing Dr. Melepura to confirm needle placement under live X-ray guidance before any medication is delivered.
Before recommending a thoracic epidural, we review your MRI findings, clinical examination, and pain history to confirm that inflammation at a specific thoracic nerve root is the appropriate treatment target. We do not recommend injections for pain that is better addressed by other means. If you come to us without recent imaging, we coordinate the evaluation as part of your care plan.
We see patients from across New York City - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island - as well as New Jersey and Connecticut. Same-week consultations are available. If conservative care (physical therapy, oral medication, rest) has not resolved your upper back or thoracic nerve pain, a thoracic epidural steroid injection may provide the targeted relief you have been unable to find through other treatments.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Thoracic Epidural Injection Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to thoracic spine pain is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Thoracic Epidural Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."
Frequently Asked Questions About Thoracic Epidural Steroid Injections
The injection itself takes approximately 10 minutes. You will arrive a little earlier for preparation, and most patients are ready to leave within 30–45 minutes of their appointment time. Sedation is available if requested.