Hello

After having had an epidural steroid injection for my lumbar stenosis, the back pain is now gone.

However, the horrible pain in the hip and down the upper leg is becoming worse.

Before I start again with expensive MRI's, has anyone experience with a simple cortisone injection for the hip?

where to go for this (preferably Pattaya) and approx. cost?

Is an MRI needed beforehand?

a few years ago, working on a cruise ship I had this back/hip pain and the ship's doctor simply gave me a cortisone shot in my buttock and the pain was gone.

any advice?

thanks a lot

It is extremely inadvisable to get cortisone injections without first determining what the condition is that is causing the pain. Making that diagnosis may well require an MRI but a plain Xray would be the first step and in some cases is sufficient.

The best place to go in the Pattaya area (and also the least expensive) is the Queen Sirikit naval hospital in Sattahip.

Bear in mind that in any case, steroids only give temporary relief by reducing inflammation. They do not cure the underlying problem and can make matters worse in the long run by leading to muscle and bone loss.

The problem you are having, is dislocated and / or pinched sciatic nerves. These nerves must be reset soonest as it will get even worse. By the way, do not get anymore injections as epidural injections(cortizone) are bad for you, They are well known to cause cancer, diabetes, etc. Go on the net and check out CORTIZONE INJECTIONS.

You must see a specialist who can do the special technics.