A transforaminal epidural injection is given to patients with leg and/or back pain to relieve pain without invasive surgery.
There are two primary purposes of nerve blocks:
As a diagnostic technique in which blocking the pain signal that causes pain helps to identify the nerves that are the pain generators or carriers of the pain.
The purpose of the nerve block is to help the doctor determine what’s causing your back or neck pain. If the pain goes away after the nerve block injection, the doctor can develop a treatment plan with the new diagnosis. That might include steroid injections, anesthetic medicines, or other minimally invasive treatments.
As a therapeutic injection to deliver steroid medication around the spinal nerve roots. It works by decreasing the inflammation in the area thus reducing discomfort and pain in the back, and/or the legs in an effort to avoid more invasive surgeries.
Although nerve blocks can be beneficial to many pain sufferers, it is important to understand that they are only one of many tools used in a comprehensive and individualized pain treatment plan. Nerve blocks are usually used in conjunction with other treatment approaches such as physical and exercise therapy. Blocks can offer a window of opportunity that allows for effective rehabilitation to take place, ultimately helping the patient return to normal function.