Nerve Root Block

What are Pain Relieving Procedures?

Pain relieving procedures are to provide temporary or prolonged relief from pain or inflammation in your joints or back.

Imaging guidance, such as fluoroscopy or computed tomography (CT), may be used to help the Radiologist place the needle in exactly the right location so you can receive maximum benefit from the injection.

The goal of a pain relief injection is to "turn off" a pain signal coming from a specific location in the body or to decrease inflammation in that area.

Patient Preparation

Generally, pain management procedures do not require special preparation. However, you will receive specific instructions on how to prepare, including any changes that need to be made to your regular medication schedule. Wear clothing that is comfortable and metal-free.

Inform your doctor of all medications that you are taking, and if you have any allergies. (Some procedures require you to stop taking aspirin or a blood thinner prior to your procedure.) Also, inform your doctor about recent illnesses or other medical conditions, or if there is a possibility that you are pregnant.

We require that patients receiving hip steroid injections, nerve root injections and facet injections have someone accompany them to their appointment and drive them home.

History of previous exams

Have you had any prior studies of the area we are going to be imaging? It is important to give this information to SSR prior to your exam. Be sure to include the facility name and approximate dates/years of exams. This helps us to locate the correct studies and have them available for our Radiologists so they can compare and note any changes that have occurred. If you have a copy of your images, please bring them with you to your appointment.

Exam

  • When you arrive at SSR, a receptionist will give you all of your registration materials for review. To expedite check in, these materials can be printed online and filled out prior to your appointment by clicking here.
  • At the time of your appointment, a technologist will explain the procedure, ask you to watch a short viedo and sign a consent form confirming that you did watch the video. The video can also be viewed prior to an appointment by clicking here. This is also the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.
  • You may be asked to change into a gown to wear during the exam.
  • During the exam, you will be positioned on your stomach or side on a special fluoroscopic or CT table that will give the Radiologist easy access to the injection site(s). You will be made as comfortable as possible, both during and after the procedure.
  • Using fluoroscopic guidance the Radiologist will numb the area and then slowly advance a needle to the level of the targeted spinal nerve. A small amount of x-ray contrast may be injected to confirm appropriate location, followed by injections of a local anesthetic and steroid through that needle. This is done for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
  • The anesthetic may help within a few minutes but it can take up to 48 hours to realize the full effects of the steroid medication.

Results

The Radiologist will prepare a formal written report that will be sent to your referring doctor within 2 to 3 days. Your doctor will then discuss these results with you. You may be asked to monitor your pain relief on a scale from 0 (no relief) to 10 (complete relief) so that you can report this to your referring doctor.

Schedule an Appointment!

Has your doctor given you an order or referral for this procedure? Call SSR’s Scheduling Specialists at 360-493-4646 to schedule an appointment. Or, click here for additional information regarding scheduling an appointment.

More Information?

For more information about these and other procedures, visit RadiologyInfo.org.