A Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection (CESI) is a common, minimally invasive procedure used to treat pain that radiates from the neck (cervical spine) into the shoulders, arms, or hands, a condition often caused by conditions like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. During the procedure, a physician, guided by fluoroscopy (a form of real-time X-ray), carefully injects a combination of a potent steroid and a local anesthetic into the epidural space—the area surrounding the spinal cord and nerve roots in the neck. The goal of the steroid is to reduce inflammation and swelling around the irritated nerve roots, thereby alleviating pain and other symptoms like numbness or weakness. While the injection is not a permanent cure for the underlying spinal condition, it can provide significant, often temporary, pain relief that allows a patient to participate more effectively in physical therapy and other rehabilitation efforts.