About the treatment
A sympathetic nerve block is a minimally invasive treatment option used to treat a variety of chronic pain symptoms including complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), shingles, peripheral neuropathy, chronic low back or neck pain, and more. Patients are offered light intravenous sedation for this procedure to reduce any anxiety. They are then taken to our procedure suite and the target procedure location is cleaned and marked. Using live fluoroscopy (x-ray) and contrast dye, your physician will ensure the correct area is being targeted. Once the correct area is confirmed, your physician will inject a corticosteroid and local anesthetic mixture. The needle will be removed, and the patient will be taken to the recovery suite.
Patients may experience immediate pain relief from the local anesthetic used in the injection which may wear off after a few hours. Longer-term pain relief from the steroid can take up to 2 weeks to take full effect. Common side effects may include redness, increased pain, swelling around the injection site, however should alleviate within a few days. Contact your Desert Pain Specialists provider to discuss if this procedure is a good option for your chronic pain.