Nerve block

[carol1964]

I'm having a spinal nerve block next Wednesday, need some reassurance that it's worth trying,tried loads of drugs but nothing has helped so nerve block is kind of the last thing to try,scared I'm in for a huge disappointment if it doesn't work,very nervous about whole procedure in case anything goes wrong!

[Hidden]

Rest assured complications are rare. I have had 4 now and my husband has had 3 without any problems, as for working, what can I tell you, there are as many good results as bad, just as no two backs are the same, so results vary widely from no effect to complete pain relief. The procedure itself is over quickly and as a lot of things the local is the only bit that stings a little. The Theatre staff are very reassuring, they see people who are nervous all the time and do their best to keep you calm and distract you, the consultant doing it will chat as he/she does the injection. So while you would be a strange person if you were not scared, it's no where near as bad as you think. It is likely to be more painful for up to a week after, then it settles down, it's not like the acute pain you usually feel, but a deep ache. If the drugs you are getting are not giving you any relief then you have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Good luck, let us all know how you get on.

[carol1964 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks very much x

[taffdog2]

Ask for a sedative before you have the injection. Did not work for me though

[Hartleyhare2]

Very interested in this as I think it is my next port of call! I have had lower spine surgery which luckily worked years ago. But bulging discs in my neck are not being controlled by even MST and Oramorph.

I wish you the best of luck, my wife is an ICU nurse and says these are routine now and the anethetists are very skilful.

Best wishes and please let us know how you get on.

Patrick x

[carol1964]

Sorry to hear about the problem with your neck. Thanks for the kind reply,you and your wife take care x

[Matt_Hurley1809]

Hi, I have had many nerve blocks over the course of the past few years and unfortunately it depends which nerve your pain is running. It may offer you an hours relief (as it did for me) and if you are really lucky, and the pain is running up a non vital nerve there may be the possibility that they can cut the nerve and block the pain all together.

Wishing you the best of luck

Matt

[Hidden in reply to Matt_Hurley1809]

Did you have a nerve severed Matt? It's been suggested for me as the next step. How do they discover which is the right nerve?

[Matt_Hurley1809 in reply to Hidden]

you have a few main nerve pathways that all the other nerves run into... think branches on a tree.

They block 1 nerve branch and wait 10 mins and see if the pain goes. if it stays then it isn't that nerve branch... they repeat the process until they block the correct nerve. THEN if that branch isn;t the sciatic nerve (which they can't cut cos it will paralyse you, then they can cut that branch and the pain will be gone forever.

[Matt_Hurley1809 in reply to Hidden]

I hope that helps.

[Hidden in reply to Matt_Hurley1809]

Thanks Matt that makes perfect sense, hears hoping.

[Hidden]

Thanks Dan that's helpful, that has been suggested as well. Is it unpleasant ?