Nerve blocks

[carol1964]

Does any one know how effective spinal nerve blocks are?

[Hidden]

If you search it, you'll find that there are a few of us that have had them. I have had the occipital nerve one in my neck for the past two years, just had my fourth one last week.

Initially I was sceptical, the pain afterwards was worse than before. But, once it all settled down (about 2 weeks) I was virtually pain free for about 6 months. It does take a while to work, you have to be patient and not expect immediate results and it doesn't work for everyone. I was in hospital with a man who was waiting to have the epidural nerve block, he was on his sixth and it hadn't worked...ever! I would have given up after my second didn't work!

[ZedT]

I have just had one a week ago. At first there was complete relief from pain. No feeling in my foot but that's normal and just a bit of aching in my lower back where he had put the needles in. But today and yesterday the sciatic pain is creeping back. I'm disappointed. Saying that my pain is normally very severe and it is nowhere near as bad as usual. If it remains like this I will be satisfied. Even for three months which is the expected time it lasts. The procedure itself was uncomfortable but not as bad as I had imagined. I used a breathing technique to help and it was over in 20 minutes. I had mine done at Salford Royal and all the staff were excellent. Hope this helps

[ZedT in reply to ZedT]

Forgot to say mine was a s1/l5 block.

[EOLHPC]

I've had both temporary spinal blocks & permanent blocks bilaterally to my cervical spine, lumbar spine & sacrum. These have all helped me enormously and I'm vvvv glad to have had them

Permanent Spinal blocks are also referred to as Denervation procedures. There was a v good set of replies to a question like yours on this forum 1 year ago. If you click on the search function symbol on the far right the bar at the top of this page, and type 'denervations' in the search panel, you should find this discussion is the first listing that comes up. If you can't find this via the search, let me know & I'll copy & paste my replies to that question in here as a reply to your ?

Take care & good luck

[Curlygirl54]

I've had nerve blocks and denervation a in various areas - occipital nerve, cervical spine, lumbar spine and SI joints may many times over 40 years. The results are really variable according to skill of doc and how well they manage to position them. Also, repeated treatment causes scarring which can restrict the movement of the meds injected.

I would say definitely worth a try, the discomfort at time of procedure is minimal as a numbing agent is used and although probably an increase in discomfort / pain over a couple of weeks it can be something which lasts for a few months. Denervation lasts longer as nerve endings are 'burnt' with high frequency waves but is definitely not as painful as it sounds!!

Good luck

Shirley

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[Hidden]

I've had three over 12 months,L4-L5-S1,and three facet joint injections unfortunately they didn't help me at all. My husband however had two at L-4 L5 and has had astonishing results he has bulging discs, his pain relief has been excellent and has lasted him 9 months so far. It really is horses for courses, and you just do not know (and neither does the Dr.) who will get a positive or negative result, I guess you have to ask yourself how badly do you need some relief, and is the procedure the right one for you, you wouldn't be offered one if there was no chance it would help, you just don't know if it will. I hope you get the pain relief you need soon.

[onamission]

I have been having these injections for 5 years now I get between 6 and 8 weeks pain relief our pain clinic will only do 3 a year this is because we have one guy working on his own

[Rinoman1]

Hi. I have had 5 of them as to hopefully prevent surgery. However, esi injections in l4 l5 did not provide relief for me. I had bulging discs and stenosis. Stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal. Leaving pressure on the sciatic nerve causing pain and numbness, so ESI Injections simply bath the nerve with medicine and steroids, so it did not work for me. Pressure needed to be relieved on my nerve , injections failed to do so. I hope that helped,