Medial Branch Blocks
This is an injection of numbing medicine. It bathes the medial branch nerves, which attach to the facet joints of your spine. These nerves hurt when facet joints are injured or diseased. The injection helps find the source of your pain. And it may relieve your pain for a brief time.
Schedule A Pain Management Consultation
When diagnosing the exact source of chronic spine pain, precision is everything. Our skilled pain specialists use image-guided Medial Branch Blocks as a highly effective diagnostic tool. By temporarily numbing the tiny nerves connected to your facet joints, we can pinpoint the exact cause of your pain and pave the way for long-lasting treatment solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Medial Branch Nerves?
Medial branch nerves are tiny nerve branches that carry pain signals from the facet joints in your spine to your brain. Each facet joint is supplied by two of these nerves. If a joint is arthritic or injured, these nerves are responsible for transmitting the sensation of pain.
What is a Medial Branch Block?
A medial branch block is a diagnostic procedure where a strong local anesthetic is injected directly outside the joint space, targeting the medial branch nerves. The goal is to temporarily interrupt the pain signals. If your pain goes away after the injection, it confirms that the specific facet joint is the source of your discomfort.
Is This a Permanent Fix?
No, a medial branch block is primarily a diagnostic test, so the pain relief is temporary and usually lasts only a few hours to a few days. However, a successful block is a crucial step, as it qualifies you for a longer-lasting procedure called Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA).
What Happens During the Procedure?
After applying a local anesthetic to your skin, the pain specialist uses fluoroscopy (live X-ray) to guide a small needle precisely to the medial branch nerves. A small amount of numbing medication is then injected. The outpatient procedure is very brief, typically taking 15 to 30 minutes.
What Should I Do After the Block?
You will be asked to monitor your pain levels closely for the first several hours after the procedure and perform activities that would normally cause you pain. Recording your pain relief helps your doctor determine if the block was successful and if you should proceed with advanced treatments.
Ready to take the next step in your care?
Schedule your consultation with Pearl Surgery Center today.
