Nerve Root Blocks

Nerve roots exit the spinal cord and form nerves that travel into the arms or legs to allow movement of the arms, chest wall, and legs. Nerve roots may become inflamed and painful due to irritation, for example, from a damaged disc or bone spur.

A selective nerve root block provides important diagnostic information but is not a primary treatment. It enables accurate identification of which nerve is causing pain by temporarily numbing the selected nerve root to see if it causes a reduction in pain.

Confirmation or ruling out the nerve as the exact source of back pain, allows for proper diagnosis and treatment, which may include additional nerve blocks and/or surgery at a specific level.

During the procedure, the spine surgeon directs a very small needle, using x-ray guidance near the specific nerve being tested and injects a small amount of contract (dye) to insure proper needle position. This may increase the usual pain for about 30 minutes. Then a mixture of numbing medicine (anesthetic) and anti-inflammatory (cortisone/steroid) is injected.