Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Kailash KothariMD Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, FIAPM (Pain Medicine) · 30+ years experience
- No surgery required for many conditions
- Same-day procedures
- International training & advanced techniques
What is a peripheral nerve block?
A peripheral nerve block is a targeted injection used to relieve pain that comes from a specific nerve outside the spinal cord. Many conditions can cause a peripheral nerve — such as the intercostal nerve, the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh, the femoral nerve or the pudendal nerve — to become entrapped, inflamed or damaged, for example after surgery, injury or shingles.
At Pain Clinic of India, the involved nerve is identified from the patient's symptoms and examination, and a small amount of local anaesthetic — sometimes combined with a steroid — is injected accurately around the nerve using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance. This can both confirm which nerve is responsible (a diagnostic block) and provide lasting pain relief (a therapeutic block).
Peripheral nerve blocks are minimally invasive, performed as a day-care procedure, and are very effective in relieving nerve-related pain in carefully selected patients.
Who is Peripheral nerve block for?
- Entrapped, inflamed or damaged peripheral nerves
- Intercostal nerve pain (chest wall, including after shingles or surgery)
- Lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh pain (meralgia paraesthetica)
- Femoral or pudendal nerve pain
- Nerve pain after surgery or trauma
- Pain used to plan or confirm which nerve is responsible before further treatment
How Peripheral nerve block is performed
- The painful peripheral nerve is identified from the clinical examination and history
- The skin is cleaned and local anaesthetic is applied
- Using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, a fine needle is positioned next to the target nerve
- A local anaesthetic, sometimes combined with a steroid, is injected around the nerve
- Pain relief and the response are assessed to confirm the correct nerve was treated
Before, during & after the procedure
Before: A clinical assessment identifies the involved peripheral nerve and rules out other causes of pain. Any blood-thinning medicines are reviewed and informed consent is taken.
During: The block is performed under image guidance (ultrasound or fluoroscopy) so the medicine is delivered accurately around the nerve. The injection itself takes only a few minutes and is done under local anaesthetic.
After & recovery: Patients are observed briefly and can usually go home the same day. The area may feel numb for a few hours. A diagnostic block gives short-term relief that helps confirm the source of pain, while a therapeutic block with steroid can give longer-lasting relief and may be repeated if helpful.
Benefits of Peripheral nerve block
- Targets the specific nerve causing the pain
- Helps confirm the source of pain (diagnostic value) before further treatment
- Can give effective, sometimes long-lasting, pain relief without surgery
- Day-care procedure with quick recovery
- May reduce the need for oral pain medication
Risks & possible side effects
- Temporary numbness or weakness in the area supplied by the nerve
- Soreness or bruising at the injection site
- Short-lived increase in pain (flare) for a day or two
- Bleeding or infection (rare with image-guided, sterile technique)
- Allergy to the injected medicine (very rare)
Conditions treated with this procedure
Frequently asked questions about Peripheral nerve block
Medical references
This page is informed by guidance from the following authoritative medical sources: