Nerve Blocks

Aarti A Singla, MD, MBA

Spine and Pain Management Specialist located in the Greater Cincinnati Area, West Chester and Anderson, OH

Nerve blocks help diagnose and treat chronic pain conditions that involve the spine. Aarti Singla, MD, MBA, specializes in non-surgical treatments for spine and joint pain. She offers many types of nerve blocks to address a wide range of pain conditions. To schedule an appointment with this dual board-certified physician, call the office in West Chester or Cincinnati, Ohio, or click the online booking button.

Nerve Blocks Q & A

What are nerve blocks?

Nerve blocks are injections that temporarily block the nerve signals to the brain to alleviate pain. The injections help diagnose and treat nerve-related pain conditions.

In addition to providing pain relief, Dr. Singla performs nerve blocks to identify the nerve causing your pain so she can proceed with a more permanent solution to your chronic pain condition: radiofrequency ablation.

During the minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Singla uses heat energy to destroy the nerve causing your pain, which may provide pain relief for several months.

What are the types of nerve blocks?

There are many types of nerve blocks. Each nerve block addresses specific sources of pain. Dr. Singla performs a wide range of nerve blocks, including:

Cervical medial branch block
Cervical facet block
Lumbar facet block
Stellate ganglion block
Sympathetic nerve block

For each nerve block, Dr. Singla injects an anti-inflammatory medication, anesthetic, or both into the area surrounding the inflamed nerve to reduce inflammation and alter the pain signal.

What happens during a nerve block?

The specifics of your nerve block depend on the type of nerve block you receive. However, nerve blocks are an outpatient procedure Dr. Singla performs using fluoroscopic X-ray imaging.

Dr. Singla first injects a local anesthetic to numb the area where she plans to perform your nerve block. She inserts a needle around the nerve and administers a contrast material to ensure proper placement, and then injects the medication.

After your nerve block, Dr. Singla sends you to the recovery area for monitoring and then discharges you home. You need to arrange to have someone drive you home after the procedure and take it easy the rest of the day.

What can I expect after nerve blocks?

You may feel an immediate improvement in your pain following a nerve block. The length of your pain relief may vary. For some patients, a nerve block may last a few hours to a few days.

Whatever your results, Dr. Singla continues to work one-on-one with you to ensure you get long-term pain relief.

To schedule a nerve block consultation with Dr. Singla, call the office or book online today.

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