A spinal injection is a minimally-invasive procedure that is used for diagnosing and treating back pain. The purpose of a spinal injection is to deliver medicine directly to the specific site of pain.

When you have a diagnostic injection, the goal is to find out if the medication relieves your pain. If procedure relieves your pain in the area the doctor suspects is the source (based on your physical exam and history), he or she can confirm the diagnosis. Pain relief from diagnostic injections is generally temporary. Generally no more than a few hours.

When you have an injection as a treatment, the relief tends to last longer.