Nerve Blocks

Nerve blocks help diagnose and treat pain conditions. At Kai Sports Medicine in Little Silver, New Jersey, Zachary Perlman, DO, provides nerve blocks to treat a wide range of pain conditions, including knee and arm pain, as well as back pain. An experienced sports medicine physician, Dr. Perlman takes an integrative and patient-centered approach to care, offering therapies that help you get back to your active way of life. Call today or schedule an appointment online.

What are nerve blocks?

Nerve blocks are a medical treatment that involves injecting medication around a nerve to diagnose and treat pain conditions. These injections usually contain a local anesthetic for instant pain relief and a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation.

The medication isn’t injected directly into the nerve, but close to the nerve, bathing it in the medication.

Can nerve blocks help my sciatica?

Dr. Perlman offers many types of nerve blocks to treat a wide range of pain conditions. This includes a sciatic nerve block to ease sciatica (a nerve condition that causes radiating pain into the back of the leg).

Some of the types of nerve blocks available at Kai Sports Medicine include:

Peripheral nerve block

A peripheral nerve block eases pain that affects the arms or legs. Dr. Perlman may inject the medication near a specific nerve or a group of nerves to get the desired effect. 

Suprascapular nerve block

Dr. Perlman offers the suprascapular nerve block to treat shoulder pain. 

Lumbar sympathetic nerve block

The sympathetic nerves travel along the side of your spine. Dr. Perlman may recommend a lumbar sympathetic nerve block to treat back pain conditions like sciatica.

What happens during nerve blocks?

At Kai Sports Medicine, you come first. Dr. Perlman spends time talking to you about your nerve block at your initial consultation so you know what to expect. 

After cleaning the site of your injection, Dr. Perlman administers a local anesthetic to numb the area. Using image-guided technology, he inserts the needle and injects the medication near the nerve. 

You remain at the office for a set period of time for monitoring, and then Dr. Perlman sends you home.

What can I expect after nerve blocks?

Results from nerve blocks vary. Some people get immediate relief that lasts a long time, while others get no relief at all. You can also get temporary pain relief from nerve blocks.

Results of your nerve block help Dr. Perlman confirm or rule out the cause of your pain, which he then uses to determine what treatments can best help you. 

Call Kai Sports Medicine today or use the online booking button to learn more about nerve blocks for pain relief.