Medial Branch Block Injection Facts and Information
For this procedure, a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) and corticosteroid (anti-inflammatory medicine) are injected into one or more of your medial branch nerves. Depending on where you are experiencing pain, this injection will take place in one or more of the four regions of the spinal column: Cervical, Thoracic, Lumber, Sacral. We serve patients in Ocean and Monmouth County, NJ, with locations in Toms River, Brick, and other cities.
In a medial branch block, a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) is injected near the medial branch nerve. This stops the transmission of pain signals from the medial branch. If this reduces your pain and helps you move your back like normal, it may tell the doctor which medial branch is causing the pain.
The injection can be used to diagnose or treat. An anesthetic and steroid may be injected to see if they temporarily lessen your pain. If they do, and if this helps you move better, it tells the doctor which medial branch may be causing the pain. The corticosteroid is used to treat inflammation of the medial branch.
About the Medial Branch Block Procedure
A local anesthetic will be used to numb your skin. The doctor will then insert a thin needle directly into the medial branch. Fluoroscopy, a type of x-ray, must be used to ensure the safe and proper position of the needle. A dye may also be injected to make sure the needle is at the correct spot. Once the doctor is sure the needle is correctly placed, the medicine will be injected.
After the Medial Branch Block Procedure
You will be monitored for up to 30 minutes after the injection. When you are ready to leave, the staff will give you discharge instructions. You will also be given a pain diary. It is important to fill this out because it helps your doctor know how the injection is working.
It may help to move in ways that hurt before the injection, to see if the pain is still there, but do not overdo it. Take it easy for the rest of the day. You may feel immediate pain relief and numbness in your back for a period of time after the injection. This tells you the medication has reached the right spot.
Your pain may return after this short pain-free period, or may even be a little worse for a day or two. It may be caused by needle irritation or by the corticosteroid itself. Corticosteroids usually take two or three days to start working, but can take as long as a week. You can usually return to work the day after the injection, but always check with your doctor.
As with any procedure, there are potential risks. Although discography is designed to minimize these risks as much as possible, there is a chance that complications could occur. Be sure to discuss the possible risks with your doctor. Also, please note that not all patients are candidates for discography. For more information on specific risks, please speak with your physician.