Persistent pain is not just a struggle for the victims, but it can be a debilitating condition. For those people who suffer from such pain, a nerve block can be their solution. A nerve block involves a surgical or a non-surgical procedure where an anesthetic is injected into the affected area to control or prevent the pain and improve life quality. It interrupts the travel of pain signals to the brain; thus, pain is relieved. The specialists of nerve blocks in Austin at Republic Spine and Pain are board-certified and use modern equipment for diagnosis.
What is the importance of nerve blocks?
- Nerve block comes with the following benefits:
- It can be used to know where the pain originates.
- It cures pain
- It can check how pain will act with the different types of treatment, especially long-term treatment.
- For relief of short-term pain
- It can be used to induce anesthesia during small surgeries.
- It can be used as an option for the treatment of chronic pain when other methods have failed.
How do nerve blocks work?
Nerve blocks relieve pain by stopping signals between the brain and the nerve cells. This procedure is done by injecting a nerve, the affected nerve. The use of X-ray imaging guides the doctors in injecting the right nerve.
What are the types of nerve blocks?
There are several nerve block treatment types, and the doctor will consider your health status and personal needs to offer the appropriate treatment. Depending on the type of medication, some nerve blocks are permanent, while others are temporary. The most common nerve blocks are the surgical and the non-surgical nerve block.
- Surgical nerve blocks
Surgical nerve blocks are the permanent type of treatment that works by destroying the particular nerves. It can be used to treat chronic pain. This type of treatment is classified into sympathetic blockade, neurectomy, and rhizotomy. In a sympathetic nerve blockade, a drug is used to destroy the whole area permanently where the pain originates. Neurectomy involves removing the area or the peripheral nerve to prevent a particular channel used by pain. Lastly, rhizotomy breaks the root of the nerve that originates from the spine.
- Non-surgical nerve blocks
This type of treatment is temporary and is used to provide short term relief. It can also be used as an anesthetic during surgery. It is classified into epidural, spinal anesthesia, peripheral nerve blockade, and anesthetic. Epidural nerve blockade entails injecting an analgesic around the nerve cell but outside the spinal cord. It is often used for pain relief during childbirth. Peripheral entails numbing the specific nerve that is the source of the pain. Spinal anesthesia involves injecting the fluid that is near the spinal cord. Lastly, sympathetic nerve blockade, the doctor temporarily numbs the area by injecting a drug that blocks the pain in the nervous system.
There are many methods of relieving pain, and the doctor can recommend a particular treatment over another. You should speak to your doctor and learn about the specific options, including their advantages and disadvantages. Book a consultation to learn more about nerve blocks.
