NERVE BLOCKS

Nerve blocks are medical procedures used to manage pain by interrupting nerve signals from a specific area of the body. They involve the injection of a local anesthetic, and sometimes a steroid, directly into or around a nerve or group of nerves responsible for transmitting pain. The goal of a nerve block is to provide temporary or, in some cases, long-term pain relief.

Nerve blocks are commonly used to treat conditions like trigeminal neuropathies, chronic facial pain, headaches, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. They can also be utilized in other chronic pain conditions, post-surgical pain management, or during certain diagnostic procedures to confirm the source of pain.

Depending on the specific condition, the effects of a nerve block can last from a few hours to several weeks or months, and they may be repeated if necessary. Nerve blocks can help reduce reliance on pain medications and improve a patient’s overall quality of life by targeting the specific nerves responsible for the pain.