Well referred pain is the pain you feel in one part of your body that is actually caused by pain or injury in another part of your body. In this case, the pain is being caused by the swelling of the nerve (or more specifically their roots) found in the hole (foramina) of the 5th lumbar vertebrae. This swelling is hitting against the bone of the hole in the vertebrae causing pain somewhere the nerve supplies.
The epidural steroid injection basically works on the spinal nerves by flushing away the proteins that cause swelling. The pain relief can last from days to years, allowing your spinal condition to improve with physical therapy and an exercise prog
So in other words, the injection decreases the swelling so it doesnt hit the bone of the vertebrae as much leading to temporary relief in pain.
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