What is a sympathetic nerve block and why is it helpful?
A sympathetic nerve block involves injecting medicine around the sympathetic nerves in the lumbar or cervical area. By doing this, the system is temporarily blocked in hopes of reducing or eliminating pain. If the initial block is successful, then additional blocks may be repeated until the pain diminishes. What happens during the procedure? The patient is placed on the x-ray table on their stomach in such a way that the physician can best visualize these joints in the back using x-ray guidance. The skin on the low back is cleansed using a sterile solution called Betadine. Next, the physician injects a small area of skin with numbing medicine. This medicine stings for several seconds. After the numbing medicine has been given time to be effective, the physician directs a very small needle, using x-ray guidance into the joint or by the nerves surrounding the joint. Then, a small mixture of numbing medicine (anesthetic) is injected. One or several joints may be injected depending on loca
