A medial branch nerve block is one of many different types of injection therapies pain medicine doctors have access to. Typically, it is utilized with patients suffering from back pain. But the relief one gets from a medial branch block usually lasts only 1-6 hours. In rare cases a patient might enjoy relief for 12 hours or longer.
If pain relief is so short, why undergo the procedure? According to the experts at Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX, the medial branch nerve block is utilized mainly as a diagnostic tool. A doctor wants to isolate a patient’s pain to either confirm or contradict a diagnosis.
How It Actually Works
Imagine a patient visiting Lone Star suffering from persistent back pain. The doctor suspects he is dealing with facet joint syndrome. He also believes his preliminary diagnosis points to a specific joint in the spine.
The strategy behind recommending a medial branch nerve block is pretty straightforward. If the nerve block works, the doctor’s diagnosis is correct. If it does not, either the doctor has chosen the wrong joint or his diagnosis is wrong.
In many cases, a successful nerve block will be followed by a second – just to be sure. Two successful blocks pretty strongly indicate that the doctor has made the right diagnosis and chosen the right joint.
Simple and Minimally Invasive
There are a lot of benefits to using medial branch nerve blocks as a diagnostic tool. At the top of the list is their minimally invasive nature. The entire procedure only takes minutes, and it is performed like any other injection. A patient doesn’t have to undergo surgery. He does not have to spend hours in the doctor’s office being subjected to all sorts of tests.
In preparation for the procedure, the patient is asked to lie on an exam table, facedown. A local anesthetic is applied to numb the skin. Then, using imaging equipment, the doctor inserts the needle and guides it to the right location. This is followed by an injection of the medication.
The medication immediately bathes the surrounding area with pain-numbing effects. Here is the thing: if the doctor’s diagnosis and choice of joint is correct, the patient should experience immediate relief. Such relief is a clear indication that the doctor is spot on.
After Two Successful Injections
As previously stated, two successful medial branch nerve blocks confirm a diagnosis. Let us assume facet joint syndrome. There are a number of long-term treatments a doctor might recommend. Some are injection therapies that rely on a combination of steroids and anesthetic to control pain and inflammation.
Another option is something known as radiofrequency ablation. This is a procedure whereby the doctor addresses the nerve in question using low energy radio waves. The waves generate heat that ultimately causes a lesion on the nerve. In turn, the lesion blocks pain signals so that they never reach the brain.
Pills and Surgeries Aren’t the Only Way
All of this might seem foreign to you if you have never dealt with back pain. But know this: pills and surgeries are not the only treatments for back pain. Doctors can utilize therapies like medial branch nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation to address persistent back pain without the need for more drastic treatments.
Medial branch nerve blocks might only relieve pain for a few hours at a time. But long-term pain relief is not the goal. Remember, a medial branch nerve block is a diagnostic tool that can confirm a doctor’s diagnosis. Then, a more permanent form of pain relief can be considered.