Chronic pain is a type of pain that affects you continuously for a long time, in some cases disturbing your quality of life. Pain manifests itself in many ways, with back pain or radiating pain on your neck as a form of your chronic or temporary pain. However, a nerve block in Houston experts can help you say goodbye to chronic pain.

What are the uses of nerve blocks?

Your doctor will prescribe a nerve block to hinder the movement of the receptors to treat pain. If you have compression or pain caused by nerve damage, you are a good candidate for a nerve block. Pain arises from receptors that travel from an injured part of the neck to the brain.

When you present yourself to Houston Pain Specialists during diagnosis, the doctors can use nerve blocks to determine the exact location of your problem. For example, if the pain radiates in the neck, a nerve block helps determine the exact point of your pain for treatment.

What are the types of nerve blocks for treating chronic pain?

Local nerve blocks

Local nerve blocks treat neck and back pain during pregnancy and any other form of back pain caused by compression. Your doctor will use an injection to administer the medicine, which is a form of steroid to your spinal area. The steroid helps calm the compressed nerves in a pregnant woman or pain caused by degeneration.

Neurolytic block

Neurolytic blocks use phenols, alcohol, and thermal agents to obstruct the pathway of nerve receptors. The treatment is useful for chronic pain such as cancers and regional pain syndrome.

Surgical Nerve blocks

Surgical nerve blocks are those done during surgeries. The technique involves removing some parts of the nerves or destroying some pathways that transmit receptors to the brain. Like neurolytic nerve blocks, you will need to have a severe form of pain for such surgeries.

What are the side effects of nerve blocks?

Permanent nerve damage is one of the risks of nerve blocks. Your doctor will explain this to you during the consultative session for treating chronic pain. Other risk factors of nerve blocks include paralysis, numbness, weakness, and some irritation in rare cases. Noteworthy, experts help reduce the risk of severe side effects by advising against using the treatments and taking caution during the treatment.

What do you expect after treatment with a nerve block?

Pain and some irritation are the major issues you have to deal with in the area of treatment. You may also need to rest after a surgical nerve block to help your doctors check on you for several days. Swelling also happens in some cases, which disappears after a short while.

Nerve blocks are the solution for most types of pain, be it chronic or mild. Your doctor will explain the side effects and risks of the treatment before having gone through any type of action. However, in many cases, patients benefit from reduced to no pain with this treatment option. Call Houston Pain Specialists or book your place online to begin a nerve block procedure.