Nerve Blocks

Nerve pain and muscle spasm such as that caused by shingles, neuropathy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy and spinal cord injury can be treated using interventional procedures, spinal cord stimulation or implantable pumps.

Nerve Blocks

Used in the treatment of pain.

What are Nerve Blocks?

Blocks are injections of medication near nerves. The medications that are injected include local anesthetics, steroids, and opioids. In some cases of severe pain it is even necessary to destroy a nerve with injections of phenol, pure ethanol, or by using needles that freeze or heat the nerves. Injections into joints are also referred to as blocks. Although not technically correct, “block” is commonly used to refer to any type of injection procedure done to influence nerves.


Why Do We Do Blocks?

Blocks with local anesthetic can be used to control acute pain.
Pain and injury often makes nerves more sensitive, so that they signal pain with less provocation. An example of this is when you have a sunburn and you lightly brush against your skin causing pain. Blocks can provide periods of dramatic pain relief, which promotes the desensitization of sensory pathways.

Steroids can help reduce nerve and joint inflammation and can reduce the abnormal triggering of signals from injured nerves.

Blocks often provide diagnostic information, helping to determine the source of the pain.

Other types of pain we can treat:

Back Pain & Sciatica

Cancer Pain

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Degenerative Disc Disease

Diabetic Neuropathy

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Fibromyalgia

Foot Pain

Headaches

Herniated & Bulging Disc

Hip Pain

Knee Pain

Muscle Strain

Neck Pain

Nerve Damage or Injury

Neuropathy

Osteroarthritis

Phantom Limb & Stump Pain

Rib Pain

Sciatica

Shingles

 

Shoulder Pain

Spinal Stenosis

Tennis Elbow

Vertebral Fractures

Wrist & Hand Pain

 

Pain Management Specialists

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805.682.5520

2329 Oak Park Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

ThePainMD[at]painmanagementsb.com