Do I really need to refrain from eating or drinking anything for 8 hours before a spinal injection?

Question

The nurses wouldn't explain when I asked.

It's a 15 minute procedure that doesn't use general anesthesia. Is there any actual reason that I need to avoid food and water for 8 hours?

To clarify, I am not 'going under' or whatever. The only anesthetic that will be used is a local to numb a small area of my back. The spinal injection is a corticosteroid to reduce localized inflammation.

There is no need to rail at me to follow doctor's orders. I have a condition that makes me prone to sharp drops in blood pressure if I'm dehydrated or have low blood sugar.
I'm asking this question for clarification since neither the doctor or nurses would tell me why I need to starve myself before this procedure, and I would like to know if it's actually necessary in light of the above concern.

I realize I may not have made this clear enough: I would like an explanation to my question, i.e. medical facts and reasoning, preferably in detail.
I was NOT asking for anyone to tell me what to do in this situation. I am an intelligent adult and can make my own medical decisions after reading the relevant medical information. I asked this question because I am not able to find the relevant medical information anywhere, so actual help would be appreciated.

Ok, since no one on this whole board was able to answer the question with an actual explanation, I took this to mean that there isn't one.
I did eat and drink before the injection and it went absolutely fine.

So, for the record, for anyone else who may be reading this because they're looking for information: it's perfectly fine to eat and drink before a medical procedure that only uses a local anesthetic, no matter what the nurses say. They are apparently more concerned with the hospital's rules and liability than with their patients' welfare. The previous time I had this procedure I listened to them, and had an episode of severe drop in blood pressure during it. Both the nurses and doctor all admitted this was mainly because I was dehydrated and had low blood sugar, yet this time they again insisted I fast for 8 hours.
I'm not putting down medical professionals and I'm sure it's not that way everywhere, but it certainly is at the hospital I go to.

Answer 1

Come on now ! 8 hrs is not starving yourself.
Follow the advice, they're not just messing with your mind !
Usually they give early morning appointments for such things.

Answer 2

Considering that there will be a neural numbing, you could be incontinent of bowel or bladder, or may even throw up. Better be safe than sorry, talk to the doctor and find out if you will have full use of your legs immediately, or if you will need to wait for full response. If allowed, you could always have a hard candy to tide you over. If you can sleep thru the night without food, you will do just fine for your short term surgery. You don't want to have a choking spell in surgery because of regurgitating. Best wishes

Answer 3

if the procedure is short, then a general anesthetic would probably be better.it avoids spinal headache. the 8 hour starvation is recommended only because occasional failure of the spinal anesthetic. in such a case a general anesthetic would necessarily be have to be used.

Answer 4

With anesthetic you often will feel sick, even if you are still under. They suggest not to eat so that if you do get sick you will not breath it in, and drowned yourself. If you tell them you drank even a s,all sip of water they will have to reschedule your procedure.

Answer 5

Yes,You can choke to death on your own puck .Follow Doctors orders.

Answer 6

No, they're only saying that to mess with you. I mean, what do they know? They're only nurses.

Answer 7

FOLLOW THE ADVICE GIVEN YOU.

Answer 8

the test does not take long but if you eat or drink can cloud what they are taking pcitures and want to see. duh