Sympathetic nerve blocks are a specialized form of pain management treatment that involves injecting anesthesia near the sympathetic nerves to block pain signals. These nerves are part of the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates automatic bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and the response to stress, including the fight or flight reaction.
Key insights into sympathetic nerve blocks include:
By targeting the sympathetic nervous system directly, sympathetic nerve blocks can provide relief for patients whose chronic pain is otherwise difficult to manage. This technique offers a potential solution for those seeking to reduce their pain and improve their quality of life, making it a valuable option in the arsenal of treatments available at NASPAC. If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, back, or neck, you can learn more about our specialties and the services we offer here.
Sympathetic nerve blocks are medical procedures used primarily to diagnose and manage pain that is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system, a part of the autonomic nervous system that influences several body functions, including blood flow and sweat production. Here’s a detailed look at these interventions:
Types of Sympathetic Nerve Blocks:
Patients at NASPAC undergoing these treatments are carefully evaluated to ensure that the correct type of block is administered, optimizing the chances of pain relief and recovery. Sympathetic nerve blocks provide a critical component in the management of chronic pain, especially when standard pain management strategies are ineffective.
Sympathetic nerve blocks, administered by pain management specialists at NASPAC, are used to treat a variety of conditions that involve the sympathetic nervous system. These conditions often respond well to the nerve-blocking technique due to their connection with nerve pathways. Here are some of the primary ailments treated:
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): This condition involves severe chronic pain, typically affecting an arm or a leg. CRPS often follows an injury, surgery, or stroke, and sympathetic nerve blocks can significantly reduce pain by disrupting the misguided nerve signals.
Phantom Limb Pain: Patients who have undergone amputations might experience pain that feels like it's coming from the amputated limb. Sympathetic nerve blocks can help alleviate this discomfort by blocking the nerve activity that is perceived as pain.
Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating): Overactivity of the sympathetic nerves often causes excessive sweating. Nerve blocks can reduce sweating in targeted areas such as the hands, feet, and underarms by temporarily interrupting nerve signals.
Raynaud's Syndrome: This condition causes some areas of your body, such as your fingers and toes, to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress. Sympathetic nerve blocks can improve blood flow by relaxing the affected vessels and nerves.
Chronic Stomach Pain: For abdominal pain that is suspected to be driven by the sympathetic nerve system, blocks can provide relief by targeting the relevant abdominal sympathetic chains.
Other Neuropathic or Vascular Pain Conditions: Sympathetic nerve blocks are also effective for treating other types of pain that have a neuropathic or vascular origin, helping to manage symptoms that are not responsive to standard pain relief methods.
These treatments are part of a comprehensive approach to pain medicine management at NASPAC, aiming to improve patients' quality of life by addressing the root causes of pain through advanced, minimally invasive techniques.
Before undergoing a sympathetic nerve block, patients at NASPAC receive detailed instructions to ensure safety and efficacy:
Patients are monitored for a few hours post-procedure to ensure there are no immediate complications.
Most patients can resume normal activities the next day, although they are advised to take it easy for the first 24 hours.
Sympathetic nerve blocks are a significant intervention offered by NASPAC, providing targeted pain relief and helping to improve the overall quality of life for patients suffering from various chronic conditions.
Also known as a rhizotomy, radio frequency ablations can provide long-term relief by ‘turning off’ nerve endings connected to arthritic facet joints. Overtime, the nerve endings will naturally heal, and the procedure can be performed as needed to give repeated relief.
Lumbar Epidural Injections treat pain in the lower back or sciatica. The procedure reduces inflammation and allows for improved mobility and of the lower back and legs, so the patient can progress with their rehabilitation.
Cervical epidural steroid injections are aimed at treating neck pain derived from inflammation to cervical nerve roots. This can cause radicular pain down the arm and into the hand. CESI’s can provide short-term relief to help the patient with a rehabilitation or exercise regimen to progress further.
Lumbar medial branch blocks are used to determine the source of the patient’s lower back pain. If the patient experiences significant relief after the injection, then the procedure has successfully determined the source of the pain, and the patient can proceed with their rehabilitation regimen/additional procedures to achieve long term relief.
Cervical epidural steroid injections are aimed at treating neck pain derived from inflammation to cervical nerve roots. This can cause radicular pain down the arm and into the hand. CESI’s can provide short-term relief to help the patient with a rehabilitation or exercise regimen to progress further.
SI joint injections are aimed at treating lower back pain or sciatica. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be diagnosed after an SI injection if the patient reports immediate significant pain relief.
Biacuplasty is aimed at treating chronic disc-related pain. The procedure is a type of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) that uses two thin electrode probes which are inserted into the disc. While producing the electrodes, the probes and tissue are actively cooled, and provide for less discomfort.
The celiac plexus is a nerve group surrounding the aorta. The block will stop the nerves from carrying pain information to your brain, and give you relief. This procedure is commonly performed on patients who experience abdominal pain linked to or derived from cancer.
Aimed at treating pain in and round the pelvic or groin area, a ganglion of impar injection is a sympathetic block to determine if the pain is derived from the injection site or is sympathetically medicated. This procedure is typically performed twice for confirmation.
Another type of RFA , genicular nerve ablations are used to treat osteoarthritis in the knee. The procedure is minimally invasive and can provide adequate relief for patients.
The hypogastric plexus is a bundle of nerves at towards the bottom of your spinal cord. Blocking these nerves is typically aimed at preventing pain derived from the lower digestive or reproductive systems, or sometimes cancer. Some patients will report immediate relief after the procedure, and long-term relief after a few days.
A steroid joint injection is a common injection performed directly into the area the patient is reporting pain. The length of relief is different for each patient, but long-term relief is more likely with a working physical therapy or exercise regimen.
An INB is used for treating chest pain caused by a surgical incision or shingles (herpes zoster infection). When the steroid is injected into the intercoastal nerves, located under each rib, the inflammation of the tissue is reduced, providing relief. It is advised patients do not do heavy lifting or significant physical activity in the 24 hours after the injection.
Kyphoplasty is necessary for patients who have a fracture from osteoporosis. A small balloon is surgically inserted into the vertebrae and inflated, which returns the structure to a more normal and more compact position.
Sympathetic blocks to the lumbar spine help relieve sciatica and/or chronic pain that radiates down the leg and into the foot.
Herniated discs create pressure on a spinal nerve root. A microdiscectomy removes the ‘bulge’ that is identified as the reason for lower back pain, sciatica and leg pain.
Spinal stenosis in the lower back is when the spinal canal is narrowed and nerve fibers compressed, which causes pain and numbness. MILD removes excess bone tissue and/or ligaments compressing on the spinal cord and causing the pain. Patients are advised to rest without heavy lifting or significant activity for a few days after this procedure.
Migraines or chronic headaches are usually related to occipital nerve irritation. The occipital nerves are injected through the back of the head or neck, and patients can experience relief almost immediately.
A spinal cord stimulator is a device that is sends electrical impulses through electrodes placed where the patient would typically receive an epidural for their pain relief. When the patient experiences pain, they can use a remote control to activate the stimulator.
Vertiflex is a implanted device that is used to treat patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. If pressure is being applied to the nerve roots, the vertiflex implant is placed within the spine to relieve the pressure, and relieve back and leg pain.
Pain traveling through sympathetic nerves in or around the neck can be treated with a stellate ganglion block. This injection is used for patients who experience causalgia, shingles, reflex sympathetic dystrophy or decreased blood flow to the heart.
The dorsal root ganglion nerves connect the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, which contain sensory neurons, to the rest of the nervous system. Stimulating these nerves allows for greater precision when dealing with lower body pain.
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