Pain Management: Nerve Blocks

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• Introduction to nerve blocks
• How are nerve blocks used?
• Types of nerve blocks
• Other nerve blocks
• Side effects and risks of nerve blocks

Introduction

Often a group of nerves, called a plexus or ganglion, that causes pain to a specific organ or body region can be blocked with the injection of medication into a specific area of the body. The injection of this nerve-numbing substance is called a nerve block.

How Are Nerve Blocks Used?

Different kinds of nerve blocks are used for different purposes.

• Therapeutic nerve blocks are used to treat painful conditions. Such nerve blocks contain local anesthetic that can be used to control acute pain.
• Diagnostic nerve blocks are used to determine sources of pain. These blocks typically contain an anesthetic with a known duration of relief.
• Prognostic nerve blocks predict the outcomes of given treatments. For example, a nerve block may be performed to determine if more permanent treatments (such as surgery) to block the activity of a nerve would be successful in treating pain.
• Preemptive nerve blocks are meant to prevent subsequent pain from a procedure that can cause problems including phantom limb pain.

Nerve blocks can be used, in some cases, to avoid surgery.

Types of Nerve Blocks

Various areas of pain require different nerve block types. Below are a few of the available nerve blocks, followed in parentheses by some of the parts of the body for which they are used.

• Trigeminal nerve blocks (face)
• Ophthalmic nerve block (eyelids and scalp)
• Supraorbital nerve block (forehead)
• Maxillary nerve block (upper jaw)
• Sphenopalatine nerve block (nose and palate)
• Cervical epidural, thoracic epidural, and lumbar epidural block (neck and back)
• Cervical plexus block and cervical paravertebral block (shoulder and upper neck)
• Brachial plexus block, elbow block, and wrist block (shoulder/arm/hand, elbow, and wrist)
• Subarachnoid block and celiac plexus block (abdomen and pelvis)

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Pinched Nerve - Read about the causes of a pinched nerve such as a herniated disc, arthritis, spinal stenosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and more. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment information is included.
• Chronic Pain - Chronic pain persists over a long period of time and is resistant to most medical treatments.
• Dry Socket - Dry socket is a painful dental condition that occurs after tooth extraction when a blood clot dissolves. Get information on causes, symptoms, signs, treatment and prevention.

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