"After years of suffering from cluster headaches and finding no solutions from nearly every medical specialty, Dr. Smith instantly identified the source of my pain and worked with me to develop a plan of action. I can now enjoy the outdoor activities, like hiking, that I had stopped doing."
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Medial Branch Block
This is a type of spinal injection to temporarily block the pain signals coming from the medial nerves. Medial nerves run through the facet joints. Facet joints are joints in your spine that allow for movement between vertebrae. Medial branch blocks are different from facet blocks in that the injection is placed outside the joint near the medial nerve. Because sciatica can be caused by facet joint degeneration, which is a breaking down of the cartilage around the joint, a medial branch block may also be used to identify sciatic pain. If you are experiencing back pain, a medial branch block may be one of several tests your doctor recommends to locate the source of your pain. A steroid such as cortisone may be used in this injection to reduce inflammation. A medial branch block can provide temporary pain relief, but is mostly a diagnostic tool to determine the source of your back pain and the next steps in your treatment plan.
28
Years of Experience35000
Injections10000
Surgeries Performed
"I love to garden but the arthritis in my hands made a former joy too painful. Dr. Smith, working closely with my rheumatologist, made sure that my pain was resolved. I am now back in the garden."
"Both Dr. Smith and Dr. Thompson have been a good, if not great, experience for me. I have had difficult and long [term] problems. Both of them do this job because they care deeply. [They] both show me their first desire is to help me live a functional life with this chronic pain."
"I was totally disabled and unable to work to support my family because of back pain after an injury at work. Dr. Smith put me in a stepwise program to try different approaches on a trial basis to see what worked best for me. He patiently laid out the options and helped me to make choices that have now resulted in my being pain free for almost a year."