A nerve block is the induction of regional anesthesia by preventing sensory nerve impulses from reaching the spine. It is accomplished by injecting a long acting local anesthetic solution around the nerve. Sometimes steroid is injected also to help relieve inflammation surrounding the nerve. Nerve blocks are most often used to produce anesthesia in specific areas of the body.

• Coagulopathy (blood clotting problems)
• Infection in the site
• Neurologic disease such as MS or polio

SI Joint Injections

Sacroiliac (SI) joint injections are diagnostic injections that provide an attractive, objective means of diagnosing joint pain. Under fluoroscopic guidance, needles can be precisely placed in the joint to inject radiographic contrast medium and local anesthetic. In this way, pain may be relieved. When there is relief of pain there is compelling evidence that the injected structure is the source of pain. Furthermore, as a diagnostic test, local anesthetic blocks are independent of inter-observer error. The judgement as to whether a patient has a sacroiliac joint pain is determined by whether radiographically proven injections relieve his or her pain, not by whether an examiner performing a clinical maneuver believes the patient has pain.

Facet Joint Injections

An injection of a long lasting anesthetic and steroid (cortisone) in the facet joints - which are located in the spine, as a part of the body structure. The steroid injection reduces the inflammation and/or swelling of tissue in the joint space. This may in turn reduce pain, and other symptoms caused by inflammation/ irritation of the joint and surrounding structures. The actual injection takes on a few minutes and consists of a mixture of local anesthetic (like lignocaine or bupivacaine) and the steroid medication (celestone) It is done either with the patient lying on the stomach, under CT control. The skin in the back is cleaned with antiseptic solution and then the injection is carried out. After the injection, you are placed on your back or on your side.

Epidural Steroid Injections – Periradicular Block

Epidural Steroid Injections is an injection of long lasting steroid (cortisone) in the Epidural space - that is the area which surrounds the spinal cord and the nerves coming out of it. The steroid injected reduces the inflammation and/or swelling of nerves in the Epidural space. This may in turn reduce pain, tingling & numbness and other symptoms caused by nerve inflammation/ irritation or swelling. The actual injection is performed under CT guidance and takes only a few minutes. The skin in the back is cleaned with antiseptic solution and then the injection is carried out. After the injection, you are placed on your back or on your side.

Must have someone available to drive patient home.

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