Paincare Florida

What a Diagnostic Nerve Block Can Tell You About Your Pain

If you’re one of the 51 million adults in the United States who live with chronic pain, you’ve probably been looking for real, lasting relief.[1] Persistent discomfort that impacts your daily life and well-being without a known cause can be frustrating, but your doctor may suggest a diagnostic nerve block or neural blockade.[2] Think of it as a way to “ask your nerves a question” about where your pain is really coming from.

Finding the exact source of your pain is essential for effective and practical treatment, especially before committing to long-term therapies or even surgery. Diagnostic blocks help ensure facts, not guesswork, guide your pain specialist’s next step.

A Quick Look at Nerve Blocks or Pain Receptor Block Injections

Think of a nerve block as a quick, in-office test your pain doctor uses to find out which nerve is causing your pain. It involves a tiny injection of numbing medicine (anesthetic) placed near (not in) the suspected nerve. Using imaging guidance such as X-rays or ultrasound, your doctor ensures precise needle placement.[2] The medicine temporarily blocks pain signals traveling to your brain, stopping discomfort at its source.

Nerve blocks are a safe, minimally invasive procedure done under local anesthesia or light sedation.[3] Different blocks are named for the nerves they target, such as an occipital nerve block or a medial branch block.

How Are Nerve Block Injections Used?

There are three types of nerve or neural blocks. In pain management, they are used in two main ways: diagnostically (to locate the source of pain) and therapeutically (to treat pain) [4]

The Cleveland Clinic explains those uses:

  • Diagnostic nerve blocks are temporary. A better name is “test block” because they help your doctor ‘test” which nerve is causing your pain.
  • Therapeutic nerve blocks utilize longer-acting medications, such as steroids, to reduce inflammation and provide sustained pain relief.

The third type is called anesthetic nerve blocks, which are used for surgical procedures and to manage post-surgical pain.

There are various types of nerve blocks used to treat different pain sources.

Here are several common blockades:

  • Medial branch blocks: test the facet joint nerves around your spine that can cause back or neck pain [5]
  • Selective nerve root blocks: help diagnose pinched nerves or compressed nerve conditions, such as sciatica or herniated disks.
  • Sympathetic nerve blocks: target the sympathetic nervous system to diagnose pain from conditions like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) [6], Sacroiliac (SI) joint blocks: identify pain coming from the joint connecting your spine and pelvis.
  • Peripheral nerve blocks: test nerves outside the spine ( shoulder, hip, or knee) [3]
  • Intercostal nerve blocks target the nerves between your ribs, the chest wall, and the upper abdomen.
  • Differential spinal blocks: use varying concentrations of anesthetic to determine which pain fibers are affected [7]

What a Diagnostic or Test Blockade Can Reveal About Your Pain

The goal of a diagnostic block is to answer a straightforward question: Where is your pain really coming from?

If your pain significantly improves after the test injection, that’s a clear sign that the numbed nerve is likely the source of your pain. [8] Your doctor can then plan the next step, such as providing a longer-lasting treatment like radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat to interrupt pain signals from that same nerve. [9]

If your pain does not improve after the test block, that’s also valuable information. It means the source of pain lies elsewhere, and your provider can adjust your diagnostic plan. In other words, no relief doesn’t mean failure; it simply means your doctor now knows where not to look.

This step-by-step process prevents unnecessary treatments and ensures every decision is based on precise results, not assumptions [10]

How Long Will the Effects of the Nerve Block Injection Last?

Diagnostic nerve blocks use short-acting anesthetics, so the numbness and pain relief usually last only a few hours. [11] During that time, your doctor may ask you to move or perform activities that typically trigger your pain, as this helps assess how well the nerve was targeted.

What Are the Next Steps After Your Test Block?

Once the effects wear off, your doctor will discuss the results with you.
If a specific nerve is confirmed as the pain source, longer-term treatments like radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or scrambler therapy may be recommended to provide ongoing relief without surgery or extra medication. [12]

If the block doesn’t relieve your pain, your doctor may suggest further testing or explore other diagnoses, such as joint or muscle pain.

It’s all part of a thoughtful, evidence-based plan to understand your pain and treat it effectively.

Finding the “Why” Behind Your Pain

Diagnostic nerve blocks aren’t just injections; they’re powerful diagnostic tools that help uncover the why behind chronic pain. They guide your doctor toward precise, targeted treatments rather than masking pain with medication or rushing into surgery.
When you work with a pain management specialist who takes a multidisciplinary, whole-body approach, you’re not just treating pain; you’re improving your overall function and quality of life.

Understanding where your pain comes from is the first step toward taking control of it. With today’s advanced techniques and compassionate care, you can move from uncertainty to clarity and from constant pain to real relief.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience sudden, severe pain, loss of sensation, weakness, trouble walking, or loss of bladder or bowel control, or any new or worsening symptoms, seek emergency medical care right away.

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