Nerve Blocks

What Is a Nerve Block?

A nerve block is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure designed to interrupt pain signals traveling through specific nerves. During the procedure, anesthetic medication — often combined with anti-inflammatory medication — is carefully injected around targeted nerves to help reduce pain and inflammation.

Nerve blocks may be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes:

• Diagnostic nerve blocks help identify the source of pain by temporarily numbing a specific nerve or group of nerves. These procedures can help determine whether a nerve is contributing to symptoms and guide future treatment planning, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or surgical decision-making.
• Therapeutic nerve blocks are intended to reduce inflammation, calm irritated nerves, improve mobility, and provide longer-lasting pain relief for chronic pain conditions.

Conditions Commonly Treated with Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks may help treat a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions, including:

• Chronic neck and back pain
• Sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
• Post-surgical nerve pain
• Chronic migraines and headaches
• Occipital neuralgia
• Intercostal neuralgia
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Post-herpetic neuralgia (shingles nerve pain)
• Joint and musculoskeletal pain conditions
• Chronic regional pain syndromes

Types of Nerve Blocks We Perform

At Alpenglow Pain & Wellness, we offer a variety of specialized diagnostic and therapeutic nerve block procedures tailored to each patient’s condition and symptoms.

Common procedures may include:

• Selective nerve root blocks
• Occipital nerve blocks
• Sympathetic nerve blocks
• Stellate ganglion blocks
• Intercostal nerve blocks
• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Medial branch blocks
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint nerve blocks
• Diagnostic facet nerve blocks
• Therapeutic nerve injections for chronic nerve irritation and inflammation

Symptoms That May Benefit from Nerve Blocks

Patients who may benefit from nerve block procedures often experience:

• Burning or electric-like pain
• Sharp, shooting, or radiating pain
• Numbness or tingling
• Muscle spasms or tightness
• Chronic headaches or migraines
• Pain following surgery or injury
• Pain that interferes with sleep, movement, or daily activities

What to Expect During the Procedure

Nerve blocks are typically performed using ultrasound or fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance to ensure accurate medication placement and improved safety.

During the procedure:

• The treatment area is cleaned and prepared
• Local anesthetic is used to improve comfort
• Image guidance is used to precisely position the needle
• Medication is carefully injected around the targeted nerve or nerves

Most procedures take less than 30 minutes, and patients are usually able to return home the same day.

Benefits of Nerve Blocks

Diagnostic and therapeutic nerve block procedures may help:

• Identify the source of chronic pain
• Reduce inflammation and nerve irritation
• Interrupt pain signaling pathways
• Improve mobility and function
• Decrease muscle tension and spasms
• Guide future treatment recommendations
• Reduce reliance on pain medications
• Support participation in physical therapy and rehabilitation

Relief varies depending on the condition being treated and individual patient response.

Comprehensive Interventional Pain Care

At Alpenglow Pain & Wellness, nerve blocks are often combined with other therapies to create a personalized treatment plan focused on long-term pain relief and improved quality of life.

Additional treatment options may include:

Interventional Pain Management

• Epidural steroid injections
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
• Trigger point injections
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
• Peripheral nerve stimulation
• Ketamine infusion therapy
• Image-guided minimally invasive procedures

Supportive & Wellness Therapies

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Pain psychology and stress management
• Acupuncture and integrative therapies
• Red light therapy to support healing and recovery

Our goal is to reduce pain, restore function, and help you return to daily activities using evidence-based, minimally invasive treatment options whenever possible.

If chronic pain or nerve-related symptoms are affecting your quality of life, contact Alpenglow Pain & Wellness today to schedule a consultation and learn more about diagnostic and therapeutic nerve block treatments.