Nerve damage is one of the most common reasons why patients consult with their primary care physician or a spine specialist, and there are a number of different ways that your medical professional will work to treat the issue. The most common treatment involves a combination of non-operative techniques, like rest, posture improvements, physical therapy, exercise and weight loss. If those treatments don’t work, many physicians have another treatment avenue they consider before recommending surgery – the nerve block.
Nerve blocks can be temporary or permanent, and they tend to be a pretty effective form of treatment. In today’s blog, we explore temporary and permanent nerve blocks for spinal nerve pain.
The Difference Between Temporary And Permanent Nerve Blocks
Despite the obvious difference in how these two treatments are named, both hope to help the patient find complete pain relief. A temporary nerve block provides temporary relief, but in doing so, it makes it easier for the patient to pursue other treatments that can help to completely resolve their nerve pain. For example, a temporary nerve block may provide enough relief that a patient can pursue physical therapy or aqua therapy, which in turn strengthens their spine and naturally decompresses the offending nerve. So while the effects of the nerve block are temporary, the ultimate goal is to help the patient find permanent relief through the treatment.
Here’s a little more information about each nerve block:
- Temporary Nerve Block – A temporary nerve block involves injecting a local anesthetic into an area to block painful nerve relays. The most common temporary nerve block is the epidural, which is oftentimes administered to expecting mothers at the hospital to help manage discomfort during labor. Depending on the nerve block solution that is used, the nerve block can drown out pain for hours, days, weeks or even months, but eventually the effects of the anesthetic will fade.
- Permanent Nerve Block – Permanent nerve blocks hope to solve the nerve issue once and for all. A permanent neurolytic block uses alcohol, phenol or thermal agents to damage the nerve to the point that it no longer relays pain signals. A surgeon can also perform a permanent surgical nerve block by cutting and removing a portion of the damaged nerve from your body. Both procedures carry additional risks compared to non-operative or temporary nerve blocks, so your provider won’t jump right to this option if you have nerve-related back pain.
As we mentioned above, temporary nerve blocks hope to help the patient find permanent nerve relief, and the inverse can also apply to permanent nerve blocks. While permanent nerve blocks hope to permanently address the nerve problem by damaging it beyond repair or removing it altogether, the body has amazing healing capabilities, and it’s possible that your nerve will repair or regrow down the road, which could lead to a recurrence of pain. It’s rare, but just know that permanent nerve blocks don’t always result in permanent symptom relief.
Dr. Sincropi has administered countless temporary and permanent nerve blocks for patients, and he’d be more than happy to help you find a way to treat your problematic spinal nerve pain. Whether that’s through a combination of conservative techniques or a more hands-on treatment, we can help decrease or eliminate your back pain. For more information, reach out to Dr. Sinicorpi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
