This injection relieves pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms caused by a pinched nerve (or nerves) in the cervical spine. It can be used to treat conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and radiculopathy.
The procedure is performed with the patient lying face down or face up to expose the neck. The patient may be sedated but awake during the procedure. A region of skin and tissue of the neck is numbed with a local anesthetic delivered through a small needle.
The physician uses an x-ray device called a fluoroscope to guide a needle to the painful area of the neck. The needle is inserted into the neural foramen space, which is the region through which spinal nerves travel.
Contrast dye is injected into the space to make sure the needle is properly positioned near the irritated nerve or nerves.
An anesthetic solution is injected into the foramen space, bathing the irritated nerve.
The needle is removed and a small bandage is applied. Some patients may need only one injection, but two or three injections may be needed to provide significant pain relief.
Those who suffer from chronic pain feel as if they have lost control over their lives. Chronic pain, especially nerve pain, causes people to ignore the things they love the most to maintain a semblance of composure. It's time to get fixed and regain control over your life. You have options.
A cervical selective nerve root block can relieve nerve pain in your head, neck, and shoulders. But how does it work?
A selective nerve root block injects a unique anesthetic solution into the area you find most painful. The solution is injected into the neural foramen space, your nerve highway through the body. This particular injection can be used to relieve pain in arthritis, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and other related nerve problems.
You may have the choice to be sedated during the procedure if anxiety is a problem, but the injection sites are numbed beforehand with a local anesthetic. You are left with a small bandage covering the injection site and a relief from your pain. You may need to receive up to three injections for complete relief, but you can usually get back to your real-life almost immediately after the procedure.
This injection is known to eliminate or decrease pain significantly in 50% of patients within one year. There are several specific symptoms of nerve pain that you may be suffering from. Along with pain surging through the nerve area, you may feel numbness in the skin around the site and general weakness and burning in the area. Your range of motion in your neck and shoulders may be limited, and reducing inflammation is the key to the procedure's success.
The side effects that you may experience from the injection(s) include acne, dry and thinning skin, changes in your mood, moderate headaches, and even allergic reactions. These effects are usually rare, and they will fade with time. According to a study initiated by doctors and published last year in Asian Spine Journal, there were no severe complications to the procedure.
The doctors can give you up to three injections per year, with 67% of patients recording a significant decrease in their level of pain and discomfort after the first three months, and 57% were still pain-free after six months.
Pain relief and the recovery of your comfort and happiness are possible with a cervical selective nerve root block. Any feelings of hope will not be in vain.
Contact us at The Pain Center San Diego for lasting relief of daily pain and discomfort. Your pain CAN stop here. Give us a call at (619) 578-3740 for additional questions or to schedule an initial appointment to begin your journey.
619-578-3740
208-342-4223
admin@thepaincentersandiego.com
NONE - Check back soon