Multiple Nerve Block injections are performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in chronic pain management.

PURPOSE OF NERVE BLOCK

• Diagnostic  to isolate the nerve root involved in the transmission of pain signals. If pain subsides after the nerve block, it will help the pain physician to formulate further treatment recommendations like rhizotomy.
• Therapeutic block usually performed with local anesthetics and steroids to treat chronic pain such as sciatica, oxipital neuralgia in chronic headaches.

Nerve Block Injections: Procedure

Simple nerve blocks can be performed in the office with local anesthetics and steroids without any sedation, provided that the patient does not display a high level of anxiety, such as the oxipital nerve block for headaches. Other blocks may require fluoroscopic x-ray guidance like sleeve root injections, such as selective nerve root blocks for sciatica pain.

Different types of Nerve Blocks

Theoretically, the nerve block can be performed at any part of the body, depending upon the nerve pathway involved in generating the pain. Most commonly used blocks are as follows

• Face
  • oxipital nerve block
  • For headaches trigeminal nerve block for facial pain
• Neck
  • Facet nerve blocks for neck pain
  • Selective nerve root block for radiculopathy
  • Epidural steroid injection
  • Stellate ganglion block for complex regional pain syndrome
• Upper Extremities
  • Brachial flexes block for upper extremities pain
  • Median nerve block for carpal tunnel syndrome
• Chest and abdomen
  • Celiac plexus block for abdominal pain
  • Intercostal nerve block for chest wall pain
  • Iliohypogastric and ilioinguneal nerve block
  • Inguenal pain
• Pelvic
  • Superior hypogastric block for pelvic pain
  • Ganglion of impar block for tailbone pain
• Lower Extremities
  • Sciatic nerve block for leg pain
  • Tibial nerve block

What to Expect after Multiple Peripheral Nerve Block Treatments?

If the patient is undergoing a diagnostic or prognostic block, it is important to report the treating physician accurately, the duration and extent of pain relief. Based on the patient’s response, the further treatment plan will be recommended like surgical intervention or nerve rhizotomy.

The therapeutic nerve block may take a couple of days to take effect before the patient notices any improvement. It is because the steroids used in the therapeutic blocks may take up to 72 hours to take effect and reduce inflammation.