Medial Branch Block Procedures
A medial branch block is a procedure often used to treat pain in the facet joints of the spine, which is caused by inflamed nerves. At Pain Care, we offer this procedure as one of the many pain management methods we provide for people in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia, area. After our patients consult with our physicians and explore their diagnostic and treatment options, a medial branch block may be recommended to help with accurately diagnosing the specific nerves that are associated with a given patient’s neck or back pain. A block can provide quick albeit usually temporary relief from symptoms.
Pain Care’s board-certified physicians administer medial branch block injections as outpatient procedures for patients in the Atlanta, GA, area. The process is relatively quick, and it consists of the following steps:
- Injecting the affected area with anesthetic – The physician numbs the patient’s neck or back during the procedure.
- Injecting a contrast dye – By using a special dye and a fluoroscope, which shows moving X-ray images, the physician can more easily see where the medication should be administered.
- Injecting the medication – Guided by the fluoroscope, the physician can carefully inject the main anesthetic at the site of the inflamed nerve. Multiple injections may be needed to address facet joint pain at different levels of the spine.
Relief is often immediate, making it easy for our physicians to tell which nerve(s) may be an issue – knowledge that they can use if they think further treatment is necessary. After the procedure is done, a bandage is applied at the injection site, and the patient can be taken home by a friend or family member.
Deleted: For more information about Pain Care’s medial branch block injections and how they play a role in our wider range of diagnostic and treatment options, contact us today. With several offices throughout the Metro Atlanta, GA, area, we’re easy to find when you need help managing acute or chronic pain.
