Selective nerve root block (SNRB) injections, or simply nerve block injections, are used for both diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of back pain with radiculopathy, a drug mixture containing anaesthetic and steroid. An anaesthetic, usually containing an anaesthetic or steroid, is administered near the spinal nerve as it exits the intervertebral foramen (the bony opening between adjacent vertebrae). The drug reduces inflammation and numbs pain transmitted by nerves.

• What pathology is going to be dealt with?

The pathology to be dealing with is a small disc or the degenerated disc which is causing back pain as well as radiation of pain in the lower limbs.

• Which candidates are eligible for this treatment option?

Patients who have a small disc buldge who are going ahead with the conservative treatment and are not getting relief from the pain.

• Are there any other patients who are suitable for this treatment?

The second type of patients eligible for this treatment are the elderly ones who have multiple level disc problems, have back pain and pain in the lower limbs but are not fit for any surgery. 

The third category of patients are the ones with a very big disc which are the surgical disc but are not fit for the surgery due to multiple reasons or are not ready for the surgery.

• Can patients who had already gone through disc surgery opt for this treatment?

The patients who had already gone through disc surgery previously and now they have come back again with the same problem, with pain in the lower limbs, which we call Failed Back syndrome. The treatment options will be given to these patients also. 

We have already treated 1000 plus such patients who fall under these 4 categories in our hospital.

• How these nerve root block injections are to be given? 

There are two methods of giving this injection:

1.         CT Guided Nerve Root Block

2.         C-arm Block 

• Which method is mostly preferred?

We use both methods, but the one we prefer is the CT Guided Nerve Root Block, which is an OPD walk-in procedure where the patient doesn’t need to get admitted or go to an operation theatre, and this procedure is quite cheap. 

• Why should this method be chosen?

The reason for choosing CT Guided Nerve Root Block is that it has got excellent soft tissue and bone differentiation in the CT scan so that we can visualize the nerve root and adjacent soft tissue and boney structures very easily and nicely. The last being the accurate site of drug delivery as we could see the nerve very accurately, the soft tissue, the nerves in the surrounding muscle, we can hence deliver the drug accurately adjacent to the nerve.

• Is this treatment option safe?

Yes, any patients who are having back pain or pain in their lower limbs and or not getting well from any treatments or medicines should opt for this treatment.