Offering Nerve Block Treatments in Northern New Jersey
Nerve blocks, also known as neural blockades, can be used as both a surgical and diagnostic tool. Nerve blocks stop the pain messages being sent from certain nerves that affect different regions of your body. They are introduced into your spine using a needle with the assistance of a CT scan, fluoroscopy, or ultrasound to ensure the needle is properly administered. Low-level electrical stimulation may also be used to identify the specific nerve that’s causing the pain.
If you’re living with chronic pain or seeking a diagnosis that can put you on the path to recovery, Bergen Pain Management offers intercostal, medial branch, stellate ganglion, and sympathetic nerve blocks in Northern New Jersey. Learn more about how Dr. Thomas Ragukonis and our team can help.
About Nerve Block Treatments
The nerve block injections that are delivered consist of either pain-relieving medication or anti-inflammatory drugs that target a nerve or nerve cluster. These treatments are designed to relieve inflammation in the area. In some cases, this procedure is used to sever a nerve if the injections themselves aren’t capable of mitigating the existing pain.
Nerve blocks are used to manage pain presenting in the arms, legs, neck, and buttocks, and while they’re used in surgical procedures, they can also be administered medicinally for the treatment of a chronic condition. At Bergen Pain Management, Dr. Ragukonis sometimes recommends this modality to patients with conditions such as:
- Pain with a wide variety of causes, including post-surgical discomfort, arthritis, CPRS, cancer, and labor during childbirth
- Lower back problems
- Severe facial pain, like trigeminal neuralgia
- Serious headaches, migraines, and occipital neuralgia
When being used as a diagnostic procedure, nerve blocks allow the doctor to locate the precise nerve or nerve cluster causing you pain. This allows him to provide a more accurate diagnosis of your condition.
Nerve Block Treatments Available At Bergen Pain Management
Bergen Pain Management offers four types of nerve blockers, each targeting a specific region of the body. They include:
Intercostal Nerve Blocks
Located under each rib, the intercostal nerve is used to relieve pain in the chest resulting from shingles or an incision made during surgery. Steroidal medication is introduced to the nerve along with an anesthetic to provide pain relief.
Medial Branch Blocks
Medial branch blocks target the facet joints, which connect the bones of the spine. These carry pain signals from the spine to the brain, and the use of this block is one step in a two-part diagnostic procedure.
Stellate Ganglion Blocks
Working as a part of the sympathetic nervous system, stellate ganglions are found in your neck on either side of the voice box. A stellate ganglion block is used to alleviate pain in the upper arm and chest, head, and neck. This nerve block also increases circulation in the upper arm.
Sympathetic Blocks
Sympathetic blocks may be administered to the neck or lower back, which in turn provides much-needed relief to the region-specific to that nerve. Oftentimes, these are done in an attempt to jumpstart the sympathetic nervous system and get it functioning normally again.
