Medial & Lateral Branch Blocks

Medial & Lateral Branch Blocks are used as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in identifying and treating nerve pain.

Small nerves, called medial or lateral branches, carry pain signals from the spine to the brain. When irritated or inflamed due to arthritis or injury, they can contribute to chronic neck, mid-back, or lower back pain. 

A Medial or Lateral Branch Block is a procedure performed under CT guidance to precisely place a needle near the targeted nerve. Our Radiologist will inject a small amount of local anesthetic to temporarily ‘block’ the nerve from sending pain signals.

If the patient experiences significant pain relief from this procedure, it confirms the source of the pain and indicates that further, more permanent treatment, such as Radiofrequency Ablation is likely to be successful.

This is a short-lasting procedure and the effects of the local anasthetic are expected to wear off after approximately 6-8 hours.

The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes, and you should be able to return home immediately. You will need a support person to drive you home after the procedure.

Although this is considered a safe and minimally invasive procedure, any injection comes with a small risk of: 

• Discomfort at the injection site  

• Bleeding  

• Infection over the injection site  

• Allergic reaction to medication 

Contact your GP immediately if you experience any of the following: 

• Fever, chills or generally unwell in the days following the injection 

• Redness, pain or swelling at the injection site  

• A significant increase of pain in the area following the injection