Lumbar Medial Branch Block Injections
The facet joints in the spine can be a source of back pain. Osteoarthritis impacts the facet joints, irritating nerves surrounding the spine and resulting in pain. Facet joint issues are common in the lower back or lumbar spine. As part of our pain management injections, Caliber Pain™ offers lumbar medial branch block injections for the diagnosis and treatment of facet joint issues at our medical facility in Midtown Manhattan.
The spine is surrounded by medial nerves that are impacted by the facet joints. These nerves can be the source of pain in the lower back. They can also help indicate what facet joints may be affected by degenerative disease or other conditions. A lumbar medial branch block procedure can be used for diagnostic purposes to determine which facet joints are causing pain, so treatment can be performed to provide relief.
Diagnosing Facet Joint Pain
When performing lumbar medial branch blocks for diagnostic purposes, our physicians may inject a local anesthetic to affect medial nerves near several facet joints in the lower back. When an injection results in pain relief, this can identify the joints that are causing pain. Medial blocks are beneficial in pinpointing the nerves that are sending pain signals, helping our pain specialists devise an appropriate treatment plan to obtain long-term relief.
If a lumbar medial branch block injection identifies the facet joints causing pain, a nerve ablation or spinal modulation procedure may be recommended to reduce lower back pain. We use a multidisciplinary approach for treating all types of chronic pain, including spinal cord stimulation, modulation or nerve ablation.
If you are experiencing chronic lower back pain, lumbar medial branch block injections may be one of the modalities we use at Caliber Pain™ to diagnose and treat your pain. Contact us at our clinic in UES New York City to schedule an evaluation for your back pain.