After 1 hour of observation, patients who have completed the IDET* procedure are typically released from the recovery room with a prescription for analgesics. A sterile dressing covers the point of needle insertion. During the first 3-5 days the patient should:

• Rest in a comfortable position reclining or lying down.
• Use ice, NSAIDs, or other pain medication as needed.
• Restrict all activity and avoid exertion (no lifting, bending, and housework).
• Limit sitting and walking to 10-20 minutes at a time.
• Avoid driving.
• During the first week after the IDET procedure, it is normal for the patient’s back pain to be greater than before the procedure, but by the end of the second week, pain should have returned, at minimum, to its postprocedural level.
• There have been no reports of a patient’s back pain being made worse in the long term by the IDET procedure.
• Timing of return to work depends on the physical requirements of the job. A return to sedentary work may be possible within a week but soreness may persist.

For further information on postprocedural care, see Intermediate Postprocedural Care.