Diagnostic & Therapeutic
Nerve Blocks

Peripheral Nerve Blocks

Peripheral nerves (those outside the brain and spinal cord) transmit sensation and motion. Use of either steroids (to decrease inflammation) or local anesthetic can alleviate pain in these nerves.

Occipital Nerve Block: The occipital nerves stretch from the cervical spine in the neck up to the back of the head and scalp. They are most often damaged by arthritic changes in the spine, muscle spasm, and neck injuries, and typically cause headaches that start at the back of the head and go forward. Steroids are the best answer for blockading this pain.

Ilioinguinal or Genitofemoral Nerve Block: The ilioinguinal/genitofemoral nerve is wrapped around the rim of the pelvis and runs to the groin (inguinal) and pubic areas. Damage most often arises from cuts or scars due to surgery, and nerve blocks are an effective treatment.

Blocking other nerves may provide relief of pain arising in that nerve.

Lumbar Sympathetic Block

The lumbar sympathetic nerves extend from the first to the fifth lumbar vertebrae. The lumbar sympathetic nerves run down either side of the spinal column. These nerves supply sensation of the lower extremites.

Indications for having a lumbar sympathetic block include: Causalgia or other sympathetic dystrophy, pain due to peripheral vascular disease, phantom limb pain, acute herpes zoster, post herpetic neuralgia.

Celiac Plexus Nerve Blocks

The celiac plexus is located on both sides of the aorta at approximately the level of the first lumbar vertebra of your spine. Organs supplied with sensation from the celiac plexus include the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys and the gut as far as the transverse colon.Indications for having a celiac plexus block include: Acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, Crohn’s disease, surgery of the upper abdomen, and acute or chronic, non-surgical, abdominal pain.

Brachial Plexus Blocks

The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that control the arm and shoulder. There are four approaches for this block, depending on which part of the arm has the pain. These are axillary (underneath the arm), interscalene (side of the neck where the neck meets the shoulder), supraclavicular (above the clavicle, shoulder base), and infraclavicular (below the clavicle, shoulder bone).

Indications for having a brachial plexus block include: Acute and chronic pain of the arm and/or hand, or shoulder.