Cervical Selective Nerve Root Blocks

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Cervical Selective Nerve Root Blocks

Treatment for Pain in

Neck

Upper Back

Arm & Shoulder

The cervical section of the spine has seven bones or vertebrae. Soft discs between these vertebrae hold them together, cushioning them and controlling motion. If a disc tears, chemicals inside may leak out causing an inflamed nerve root or even a disc bulge. Bone spurs can also press against nerve roots and cause pain.

Neck and/or upper back pain when you move your head may mean cervical disc and dural inflammation. If your pain travels down to your arm, you may have nerve root inflammation. Because tests such as MRIs may not show a torn or leaking disc, a thoracic epidural injection helps determine if disc or dural problems, or nerve root inflammation are causing your pain.

Procedure

This procedure consists of an anesthetic and a steroid being injected into the epidural space in order to reduce inflammation. If the needle is positioned next to an individual nerve root it’s considered a selective nerve root block and medication is placed directly along an inflamed nerve root. The injection may begin with an IV to help you relax, and a local anesthetic to numb your skin. The physician then inserts a thin needle into the epidural space. Fluoroscopy, a type of X-ray, is used to ensure proper needle placement and a dye may also be injected to make sure the needle is in the correct spot. Once the needle is correctly placed, the physician injects the anesthetic and steroid.

You will be monitored following the injection, at which time you will be given your discharge instructions and be allowed to leave the clinic. You may notice immediate relief and numbness in your neck and arm for a few hours after the injection, which means the medication has reached the correct spot. It’s normal for your pain to return after this initial pain-free period and it may even worsen for a day or two. You may be able to return to work the following day, but always make sure to consult your physician.

The steroid will start working after a couple days, but can sometimes take up to a week. Relief varies from person to person and depends on the amount of inflammation involved. Sometimes this injection brings several months of pain relief and sometimes long-term relief is acquired.

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