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Nerve root block is an injection treatment used to help prevent or reduce pain in your arm(s) or leg(s). It is done by injecting a local anaesthetic or anti-inflammatory medication into a specific nerve or a group of nerves to help provide temporary pain relief. This treatment can help aid with pain management for conditions that can cause acute or chronic pain, such as sciatica.
If you are interested in nerve root block treatment, or any other treatment for nerve pain relief, call or book online to arrange an appointment with one of our experienced consultant neurologists.
Nerve root block injections can help manage chronic (long term) pain, pain after surgery, and severe acute (short term) pain.
The treatment is commonly used to help tackle pain that comes from the spine. It also can help any debilitating pain felt in the neck, arms, legs, and buttocks. This pain happens for two main reasons:
- Direct pressure on the nerve - if something is pressing or squeezing the nerve
- Nerve irritation from natural chemicals in the body - sometimes these chemicals can leak onto a nerve and cause it to become sore or inflamed
Pain can present itself in different ways. You may experience the feeling as either a dull ache, sharp, throbbing, burning, or stabbing. Nerve root pain is often described as burning or sharp.
These injections can help manage conditions that cause these symptoms, such as sciatica. Sciatica can cause sharp shooting pain that can be felt in the buttocks, radiating down the back of the thigh, below the knee, and into the calf and/or foot. It can affect one leg or both legs at the same time. Nerve block injections can help control the chronic pain felt as a result of sciatica but cannot address the cause of the condition.
Nerve root blocks are also commonly used to help manage leg pain. When you experience leg pain, it often passes down the leg into a very specific area. As your consultant understands which nerves supply specific areas of the leg, they can work out which nerve is being affected, and target the injection there.
A nerve block injection can also be used as a diagnostic tool to assess where your pain is coming from. Based on your results from the injection, your consultant may recommend a treatment such as radiofrequency ablation to help treat your nerve pain.
The cost of any spinal treatment will depend on various factors, with prices varying by hospital as well as between consultants. Call us directly to get a personalised quote.
If you are paying for your own treatment, you will be given a fixed-price package, which includes the cost of your procedure, your hospital stay, and any aftercare you need. It doesn’t include the cost of your initial consultations, or any scans or tests you may need in order to get a diagnosis.
If you’re paying for yourself, you can take advantage of our flexible payment plans, which allow you to spread the cost of treatment over a fixed period of up to five years, with interest-free options available for our shortest repayment terms.
If you have private medical insurance, spinal treatment will often be covered by your policy. Speak to your insurer directly to find out.
During your initial appointment, your consultant will take your full medical history, and ask about family history and your symptoms in order to get a picture of what may be causing your nerve pain. It is important to see a consultant about any pain that may be worrying you, as they can exclude potentially worrying causes.
If your pain is mainly felt in your back, your consultant may also perform a simple examination, and you may need diagnostic tests.
Once your test results come through, our consultant will talk with you about what your treatment options are. If they confirm that you are experiencing nerve root compression consistent with your symptoms, nerve root block injection treatment may be recommended.
Once the affected nerve is identified and your test results match your symptoms, a nerve root block injection can be used to block the nerve and confirm it is causing the pain.
The needle placed in the appropriate area using x-ray or ultrasound guidance. Once the needle is in the right place, a small amount of dye is injected. The dye will show up on the x-ray scan and help your consultant position exactly where the problem nerve root is. (Your nerve roots are the point where a nerve leaves the spinal column.)
Once the needle is close to the correct nerve root, local anaesthetic or anti-inflammatory medication is injected in order to block the nerve. You may feel a pinch or discomfort when the injection is done. This can be performed with you either being awake or under a light general anaesthetic.
The procedure typically takes around 20 minutes to complete. However, this can depend on how many nerves need to be treated.
If you are afraid of needles, our team will ensure you feel comfortable for the procedure. Just let your consultant know of your concerns, and they can work together with you to ensure you are prepared.
Once completed, you will have a small dressing placed on the site of the injection.
After the injection is done, you will be kept under observation for a short while (usually 30 minutes) to check that you don’t have any unexpected side effects or reaction to the treatment. Once your healthcare team is happy, you can go home the same day as the procedure.
If an anaesthetic is used, you will need to be picked up by somebody you trust. You will be unable to drive after the procedure, so you will need to make appropriate travel arrangements beforehand. We recommend for your wellbeing, that you are either picked up in a car or by your chaperone in a taxi. If you have general anaesthetic, you’ll need to be escorted home. You will be able to drive the following day after the effects of the anaesthetic wear off.
On the day of the procedure, you should not apply heat to the area injected. You also shouldn’t bathe or shower for the rest of the day after the injection.
You may experience some discomfort or tenderness a few days afterwards. You can use an ice pack to help ease this.
You will be able to return to light activity a few days after treatment. However, it is not recommended to do any heavy physical activity, such as strenuous exercise or manual work that requires a lot of lifting. Most people are able to go back to work the day after the injection, though you may need to take a few extra days if your job involves heavy lifting.
Usually, you will be able to notice the effects of the nerve root block within 2-3 weeks of having the injection.
It is important to monitor how you are feeling after the procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your consultant and they will be happy to address any concerns you may have.
In general, the procedure is incredibly safe and poses very little risk of complications. However, although uncommon, nerve block injections do carry some risks.
These can include the following:
- Flushing in the face for a few days
- Bruising around the injection site
- Bleeding
- Damage to the small veins around the injection site
- Infection
- Damage to the lining of the treated nerve – this can lead to headaches for several days
- Nerve damage
- Allergic reaction
- Urinary issues, such as being unable to stop urinating (incontinence) or difficulty emptying your bladder
- Stroke (extremely rare)
If you are diabetic, the injection may temporally raise your glucose levels. If you have any concerns regarding your condition and nerve root block injections, discuss with your consultant. They can advise on whether any accommodations can and should be made.
If you were assigned female at birth and experience periods, your menstrual cycle may be disrupted by the injection.
If you are worried about your risk of developing any of these issues, please speak to your consultant about your concerns. They can discuss the likelihood of these risks based on your individual circumstances and the chances they may occur.
When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:
- Flexible appointment times and locations to fit your routine
- The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
- Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs
- Comfortable and safe private facilities maintained by expert multidisciplinary teams
- Private ensuite rooms as standard and delicious healthy meals
- Affordable, fixed-price packages with aftercare included
- Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost of your care
If you would like to learn more about this procedure, book your appointment online today or call a member of our team directly.
- Nerve root pain, Penn Medicine
- Sciatica, Cleveland clinic
- Nerve Blocks, John Hopkins Medicine
- Nerve root block, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, NHS UK
