Post at a Glance

This article explains what nerve block injections are, how they work, and what patients can expect before, during, and after the procedure. You’ll learn:

• What a nerve block injection does and how it interrupts pain signals
• The different reasons doctors use nerve blocks (therapeutic, diagnostic, and treatment planning)
• Common types of nerve blocks for areas like the neck, back, abdomen, pelvis, chest, and face
• What happens during the procedure and how to prepare for it
• What recovery looks like and why most patients tolerate it well
• Key benefits of nerve block injections, including targeted relief and quick recovery
• Signs you may be a good candidate for nerve block treatment
• How the Comprehensive Pain Institute helps patients in Benbrook, Bedford & Flower Mound, TX explore nerve block options

If you have found yourself reading a blog from us, then you are probably living with ongoing chronic pain and have landed in the right place! If you feel like you have tried it all and still aren’t where you want to be with your pain, we can help. At the Comprehensive Pain Institute, we offer pain treatments in Benbrook, Bedford & Flower Mound, TX, that can help you get back to feeling like yourself again. One of the pain treatments that we specialize in is nerve block injections. Let’s break down what they are, how they work, and what the experience is like.

 

What Is a Nerve Block Injection?

Nerve blocks work by preventing a group of nerves’ impulses from reaching the central nervous system by injecting a nerve-numbing substance. They have the potential to be effective in targeting a specific grouping of nerves that is causing pain in an organ or fixed region in the body. Our doctors can use nerve blocks in a few different ways:

• Therapeutic- to actually relieve your pain
• Diagnostic- to see if a certain nerve is really the source of the problem
• Planning treatment- to help guide what should come next (like surgery, radiofrequency ablation, etc.)

 

Common Types of Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks are versatile and can be done in surgical or non-surgical procedures. One of the more well-known types of nerve blocks is known as an “epidural” and is used to attempt to decrease or completely eliminate the pains involved in labor and childbirth. Other common types of nerve blocks include:

• Medial Branch Block (neck, shoulders, head)
• Occipital and trigeminal nerve blocks (face)
• Genicular Nerve Block (knee)
• Celiac Plexus Block (abdomen)
• Hypogastric Sympathetic Block (pelvis)
• Lumbar Sympathetic Block (lower back)
• Intercostal Nerve Blocks (chest area)

 

What to Expect During a Nerve Block Procedure

The preparation for a nerve block is very minimal. Your comprehensive pain care team will tell you which medications to stop before the day of your procedure. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before.

On the day of the procedure, you will most likely be asked to wear a gown. You will be prepared with an Intravenous (IV) line for the sedative to be administered. The procedure is performed on an X-Ray table, on which you will be asked to lie in a position that allows the most direct angle for the injection site. It is typically an outpatient procedure and should only take approximately 30 minutes.

 

What Recovery Is Like After a Nerve Block

Most people are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the recovery is. We recommend:

• Taking it easy for the first 24 hours
• Avoid driving the same day
• Using an ice pack on the injection site

It is sometimes helpful to keep a “pain diary” in the 7 days following your procedure to document pain levels and other symptoms to review with your doctor as needed.

 

Benefits of Nerve Block Injections

• Provide targeted relief instead of treating your whole body with medication
• Minimally invasive
• A quick procedure and fast recovery
• Help confirm the source of pain that helps with future treatments

 

Is a Nerve Block Injection Right for You?

You might be a good candidate to discuss nerve block injections if:

• You’ve been dealing with chronic pain that isn’t getting better with basic treatments
• Your pain seems to follow a specific nerve pathway (like down a leg, into the ribs, or into the head/face)
• You’re hoping to avoid or delay surgery
• You want a more targeted option

 

Nerve Block Treatment, Benbrook, Bedford & Flower Mound, TX

If you’re curious and want to learn more about nerve block injections, the next best step is to schedule a conversation with one of our pain management specialists. If you’re ready to learn more about whether this could be a good fit for your situation, schedule a visit with our team to discuss options and create a plan that works for your life.

Flower Mound, TX: 4101 Kirkpatrick Ln. Flower Mound, TX. P: 972-436-7531
Bedford, TX: 1305 Airport Fwy. Suite 302B. Bedford, TX 76021. P: 817-786-8238
Benbrook, TX: 9239 Vista Way, Benbrook, TX 76126. P: 817-737-3331