I had 8 ESI's in my lumbar spine. After 6 with one doc over several years, with (I think) 4 yeilding good results, I had another by a different doc. It made me WAY worse. When I explained what had happened to the first doc, he said, "I'll bet that he had to stop and back up, didn't he?" He was absolutely right... the needle ran into bone and he backed up and went again.
I've observerd > 50 discograms now. Some doctors are able to get the needles where they want them to go with smooth and accurate movemens. Others are herkey jerkey and bump into things, back up, do it again, and again, take the needles all the way out... try again and again. That's one reason why use of versed is popular... the patients won't remember that.
The difference from one needle jockey to the next is dramatic. Having said all this, I'm not suggesting that this relates to eOh's case. It's just another possibility for why ESI's sometimes make things worse.
Mark
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