Lower back pain can cause discomfort and limit your ability to participate in the activities you love. OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine® offers Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB) injections to patients suffering from lower back pain, neck pain and leg pain in the Dallas, Ft. Worth and Arlington area. A SNRB helps pin point the specific spinal nerve root that is inflamed or compressed within the lower back that is causing radiating pain. This treatment is a less invasive, longer-term pain relief solution for those experiencing lower back pain, neck pain, and lower and upper extremity pain as a result of irritated spinal nerves. A SNRB can also be used to treat certain forms of disc herniation.
Causes of Nerve Root Pain
- Degenerated Disc Disease
- Herniated Disc (Slipped disc or ruptured disc)
- Spinal Stenosis (Pressure on the spinal cord and nerves)
- Degenerative Spinal Changes (Osteoarthritis)
How Does SNRB Injection Process Work?
To begin, the patient will lay on the table facing down. One of our team members will use a type of live X-Ray called Fluoroscopy to precisely locate the irritated area. The SNRB injection consists of two key components; a steroid, which acts as an anti-inflammatory and a numbing agent, called lidocaine. A local anesthetic is injected into the skin around the irritated nerve. Next, a dye is injected that will show up on the Fluoroscopy, creating contrast near the nerve causing the pain. This will assist with the placement of the steroid injection. Once the needle is aligned at the site of the nerve, the doctor will then inject both the steroid (i.e. cortisone) and lidocaine into the nerve root. The entire Selective Nerve Root Block injection process takes a half hour to an hour to complete.
How Do You Know the Selective Nerve Root Block Injections Are Working?
The patient will know the SNRB injections are successful once the pain is reduced or eliminated post injection. The doctor will also know the exact location of the nerve irritation once the patient reports that the pain has been reduced. The doctor will now be able to perform the injections to eliminate the pain as needed and suggest other treatment options to help eliminate discomfort.
Are You a Candidate for Selective Nerve Root Block Injections?
Candidates for SNRB are most likely suffering from lower back pain, neck pain, and/or pain or numbness in the upper or lower extremities. These are all issues that should be examined by an OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Specialist. Candidates in the Dallas, Ft. Worth and Arlington area are those who have failed to positively respond to other types of non-surgical treatments such as pain medication or are interested in alternative non-surgical option.
What Risks Are associated with SNRB Injections?
There are very few risks and side effects associated with this injection. However, some of the most commonly encountered side effects include: increased pain after the procedure, headaches caused by the puncturing of the joint capsule, infection, damage to the nerve, bleeding, or no relief from your pain.