Medial Branch Nerve Block Injections

A medial branch nerve block refers to the use of a local anesthetic medication (injected to the suspected pain-generating site) to numb the medial branch nerves. A medial branch nerve block temporarily stops the transmission of pain signals from the facet joints to the brain.

Having a medial branch nerve block with a local anesthetic may help determine if long-term pain relief can be achieved with a more permanent way of blocking these nerves using a procedures like a radiofrequency nerve ablation.

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Normal Medial Branch Nerve

Diagnostics

Diagnosing Back & Neck Pain

Diagnostic procedures are used to accurately identify the causes of chronic cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine pain. Typically this consists of correlating diagnostic tests, like an MRI, with a…

Facet Joint Block Injections

A facet joint block is the injection of a local anesthetic medication into or next to the facet joint. In most cases, a corticosteroid is injected. Facet joint blocks are very simple and safe…

Intradiscal Injection

An intradiscal injection can be performed for either a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. As a diagnostic procedure it is an injection of local anesthetic that temporarily removes the pain from a…

Medial Branch Nerve Block Injections

A medial branch nerve block refers to the use of a local anesthetic medication (injected to the suspected pain-generating site) to numb the medial branch nerves. A medial branch nerve block…

Nerve Root Blocks

A nerve root block is the injection of a therapeutic steroid and local anesthetic medication under X-ray guidance into the area where the nerve exits in the spinal column (nerve root). Nerve root…