Procedure

Diagnostic nerve blocks.

The most direct way to answer the question "is this structure the one producing your pain?"

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What it is

A diagnostic block places local anaesthetic precisely around a specific nerve or joint under image guidance. The logic is simple: if numbing that structure removes your pain for the duration the anaesthetic works, that structure is carrying the pain. If it does not, it is not — and we have ruled something out rather than guessed.

This is the tool that separates careful interventional pain management from trial and error. Imaging shows what structures look like. A block shows which one hurts.

Blocks are used both to identify a target before a longer-lasting treatment such as radiofrequency ablation, and as treatment in their own right where the anaesthetic and any accompanying steroid give lasting relief.

Candidates

Who this is for

  • Back or neck pain where facet joints are suspected
  • Buttock pain where the sacroiliac joint is a candidate
  • Leg or arm pain where two nerve root levels are both plausible
  • Focal nerve pain, including occipital neuralgia
  • Anyone being considered for radiofrequency ablation

How it works

The appointment, step by step.

  1. 01

    Before

    Come with a clear sense of your usual pain level — you will be asked to rate it before and after, and that comparison is the entire point of the procedure.

  2. 02

    During

    Skin numbed, needle guided under live X-ray or ultrasound to the target, a small volume of anaesthetic delivered. Only a few minutes.

  3. 03

    After

    You will be asked to record your pain over the next several hours. Keeping an honest log matters more than it sounds — it is the data the next decision is based on.

  4. 04

    The result

    Meaningful relief during the anaesthetic window is a positive block and points to the treatment that follows. No change is equally informative and redirects the work-up.

Questions about this procedure

Why does the relief only last a few hours?
Because it is a diagnostic test, not a treatment. Local anaesthetic is designed to wear off. The information it gives is what makes the next procedure worth doing.
Why might I need two blocks?
Repeating a positive block reduces the chance of a false positive from placebo response. Most insurers require two concordant blocks before approving radiofrequency ablation, and clinically it is the right standard.
Should I be active afterwards to test it?
Yes — within reason. Do the things that normally provoke your pain, carefully, so the test reflects real life. Just do not use a numbed joint to do something you would not normally attempt.

Eliminate pain and reclaim your life.

Request an appointment with Dr. Loch, or call the office at (904) 750-3787. Most patients are seen within a week.

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