Sympathetic Blocks

Sympathetic blocks are treatment options for patients who have not found success with pain medications or steroid injections for knees, back, neck, or other persistent pain conditions Integrated Pain Consultants. These blocks target the sympathetic nerves, which originate in the spinal cord and spread throughout the body. These nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system and transmit sensations like touch, pain, temperature, and pressure to the brain. The nerve blocks halt these pain signals, allowing patients to regain normal function without pain.

What is a Sympathetic Nerve Block?

A sympathetic nerve block injection involves administering a local anesthetic (such as lidocaine or bupivacaine) and a corticosteroid into the area around the sympathetic nerve roots. The specific location of the injection depends on where the pain is experienced. For example, pain in the upper body might be treated by blocking the stellate ganglion in the neck, while pain in the lower body could be treated with a lumbar sympathetic block near the lower spine.

The Procedure

  • The area is first numbed with a local skin anesthetic
  • A needle is guided near the sympathetic nerve ganglion using live X-ray (fluoroscopy) for precision
  • The injection takes less than 15 minutes, and sedation may be offered for comfort
  • Patients are monitored afterward to assess the effect of the block on their pain

Benefits of Sympathetic Nerve Blocks

  • Aim to “reset” communication between the spinal cord and brain to reduce or eliminate pain
  • Reduce the need for systemic opioids and related side effects like nausea
  • Facilitate participation in physical therapy
  • Reduce pain, swelling, and provide either complete relief or diagnostic information regarding sympathetic nerve involvement

Conditions Treated with Sympathetic Nerve Blocks

  • Headaches and facial pain
  • Neck and knee pain
  • Neuropathy of the arms and legs
  • Pain from blood vessel spasms
  • Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and sympathetic maintained pain
  • Complex regional pain syndrome
  • Herpes zoster (shingles) and postherpetic neuralgia affecting legs
  • Abdominal pain

Sympathetic nerve blocks offer a minimally invasive treatment option that helps many patients with chronic pain regain function and improve their quality of life