NERVE BLOCK IN CITY* STATE*

Are you looking for help with a nerve block in CITY* STATE*? Nerves are what send various signals to your brain allowing you to feel pain, heat, cold, etc. If those signals were interrupted then your brain would not register them so it would be as though they never occurred. A nerve block is a medical procedure that blocks specific nervous impulses. This procedure may be used to diagnose or as a treatment for different types of neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain generally has associated with tissue damage and it is likely that the fibers on the nerves have also been damaged or dysfunctional. If nerves are damaged they are likely to send the wrong kind of signal to areas of the brain that register pain.

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Understanding Nerve Blocks in CITY* STATE*

A nerve block is created using chemicals or anesthetics. One of these is going to be injected into the nerves responsible for relaying the pain signal. At times these nerves may be intentionally clipped or damaged to achieve the same results. Most people have experienced a type of nerve block at some point in their adulthood when they went to their dentist. Novocain is a popular numbing agent that works as a nerve block.

Diagnostic nerve blocks will be used to assist in the diagnosis of chronic pain that may be caused by dysfunction of a nerve. By doing this, a doctor is more easily able to pinpoint the location of the pain. Sometimes a doctor may do additional testing including:

• Electromyography (EMG): Evaluating electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles cells to look for abnormalities
• Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test: Used to test the conduction of nerve impulses as they progress through the nerve

Nerve blocks are also used as a temporary treatment for chronic pain caused by nerve damage, dysfunction, or compression. This is a common use treatment for neck and back pain due to several conditions including disc herniation and spinal stenosis. The treatment can last for weeks or years and may be used a maximum of three times within a one-year period.

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Common Nerve Blocks Used

The most common and regularly used nerve block is a local nerve block. This particular type of nerve block involves using a topical application or an injection of an anesthetic. Novocain and lidocaine are very common examples of this. Another common example is an epidural. This nerve block is common with childbirth but may also be used as a temporary treatment for the relief of chronic pain in the neck and back due to spinal nerve compression.

Neurolytic blocks cause damage to a specific nervous pathway with the use of various chemicals as a way to treat chronic nerve pain. The chemicals used include: phenol, thermal agents, alcohol or cryogenic freezing agents. Because of these factors, the treatment is generally saved for patient’s suffering from severe cases of chronic pain.

A type of nerve block is utilized by neurosurgeries and referred to as surgical nerve block. This procedure consists of selectively removing or damaging specific areas of a nerve. Similarly, this type of treatment is usually only used for severe cases of chronic pain. Most often this type of block is permanent.

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Nerve Block Risks

All types of nerve blocks, even common types such as lidocaine, care certain risks. The high risk lies with treatments that involve injections because of the sensitivity and delicacy of nerves. Even the slightest error or miscalculations can serious side effects. Potential side effects include, but are not limited to:

• Muscular paralysis
• Muscle weakness
• Long lasting or permanent numbness

It is possible, but rare, that a nerve block has the potential to cause further nerve irritation leading to increased pain.

It is common to temporarily experience numbness or soreness along with potential irritation or redness at the site of injection. Following a surgical block, a period of rest will likely be recommended. If it was a more complex surgery, a short hospital stay may be required.

There is the chance that you could experience some pain following a nerve block but that does not always mean that the block is not functioning properly. It is not uncommon for the blocks to cause additional swelling creating nerve compression. If your side effects following the procedure last for an extended period of time you need to contact a doctor.

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If you have any questions about the services we offer at CLINIC NAME* please call our CITY* STATE* team today.