Therapeutic nerves blocks are a method of managing and treating pain. Dentists use this method when they freeze a tooth before filling a cavity, and surgeons use it before minor surgery to prevent discomfort for the patient. Nerve blocks are injections of an anaesthetic applied directly to the affected nerve area, blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain. If the signal cannot get to the brain, then the patient will not feel or be aware of the pain. In sufferers of chronic pain, freezing the nerves can stop pain from a specific area of the body which is causing discomfort, with the effects usually lasting for a few hours. After the anaesthetic wears off and the patient regains sensation in the nerve area, often the pain is greatly reduced or even gone for good. So this procedure has the potential to provide permanent pain relief.
Chronic pain is often the result of an accident or injury. The tissues that were damaged can heal, but often the nerves continue to transmit pain signals into the brain long after the injuries have healed. Many specialists believe that these nerve blocks help to “reset†the nerves by blocking the cycle of chronic pain, causing them to function normally again. The AOK Spine and Pain doctors are skilled in the use of nerve blocks, as well as diagnosing when the use of this procedure will be effective.