PAIN INJECTIONS

Among the many services that we at Mid-Michigan Radiology Associates offer is a variety of pain injections, available to our patients suffering from various conditions. Whether the pain of the condition is centrally located in the back, neck, wrist, shoulder, or other specific regions of the body, we have a multitude of options for those who have been affected.

EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION (ESI)

Through this minimally invasive procedure, a variety of pain sources caused by spinal nerve inflammation can be treated. Through a mix of anti-inflammatory medication and numbing agent, an epidural injection is administered utilizing fluoroscopy to ensure the injection is provided correctly. Depending on a variety of factors related to the patient, relief from pain can last anywhere from a few weeks to months. In order to regain the ability to comfortably return to normal routines, as well as physical therapy, the use of an epidural steroid injection can help to reduce pain in patients.

SELECTIVE NERVE ROOT BLOCK (SNRB)

To be able to properly assess the location of nerve root pain, a selective nerve root block may be administered to help provide relief from back or leg pain. Through a mix of anti-inflammatory medication and numbing agent, a selective nerve root block is administered utilizing fluoroscopy to ensure the injection is provided correctly. Depending on a patient’s utilization for a selective nerve root block, there is no guarantee that the injection will be effective, but if it works, it can last from weeks to months.

FACET JOINT BLOCK

For those suffering from lower back pain, a facet joint block is a potential solution to help lower and lessen the severity of symptoms of arthritic pain or mechanical pain in the lower back. Numbing medicine is injected into each of the vertebrae’s smaller joints on either side of the spine, as well as the lower portion of the back under fluoroscopy. In cases of multiple sources of pain, numerous injections may be administered to provide proper relief.

SACROILIAC JOINT BLOCK

Used to either treat pain caused by the sacroiliac joint, as well as to diagnose the source of lower back pain, a sacroiliac joint block can be utilized as a method of treatment in this instance. Injections can either be separated into two different shots, to both treat pain and to diagnose the source, or combined into one. There are two sacroiliac joints, one on either side of the spine; typically, joint dysfunction or inflammation can cause pain in these joints.