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Selective Nerve Root Block

Elaboration

The selective nerve root block is considered as an injection that transfers medication in the space around spinal nerve roots. The main objective of this treatment is to find out the location of a particular nerve root that seems to be the reason of producing pain and with that it is to provide relief from back, leg, or other pains caused by damaged spinal nerves. The SNRB is also used for the treatment of specific sorts of disc herniation.

The process is carried out as…

  1. You lies face down on an x-ray table and the your skin is properly cleaned with an antiseptic
  2. With the help of fluoroscopy your doctor detectsa particular spinal nerve root;your doctor uses a type of X-ray that plays a video of images of your body.
  3. Once the nerve root is detected, your doctor will insert a needle through your skin into the area alongside the spinal nerve
  4. Medication steroids are to eliminate inflammation and local anesthetic for numbing is used and it is transferred into the area immersing the nerve root.
  5. If your pain gets subsided after the injection, the pain producing nerve root is believed to have been identified

Am I a Candidate?

Those who have herniated disc, sciatica or swelling or irritation are the right candidates for selective nerve root block. The following patients should not acquire this treatment: if you have an allergy of any medication which is needed to be injected, if you use medication for blood thinning for instance (Coumadin injectable Heparin) or if you have an infection currently you are suffering from. Doctor may ask you to stop using medication like Coumadin 4-7 days before the procedure. Anti-platelet drugs like palvix must be stopped 5 to 7 days before the treatment takes place.

How long will this procedure take?

The duration of this procedure varies on how nerve root is injected but it does not take more than 30 minutes.

How long will it take to recover?

You will feel relief from pain in 2 to 3 days after the procedure. You feel less pain because of the effects of local anesthesia and once its effects wears off; pain will rise again but will not last more than two days.

Its Outcome

The reasons of herniated disc will be eliminated accurately by selective Nerve Root Block procedure. This treatment can be the reason of avoiding conservative surgeries of disk herniation.