Lumbar Sympathetic Block

There is typically no preparation needed for a lumbar sympathetic block. If you are on a blood thinner, you will be instructed if and when you need to stop the blood thinner before the injection.

During the treatment, you will lie on your stomach. The physician will use an x-ray camera to guide them to the affected area of the spine. Your skin will then be prepped with either betadine or chloraprep. The physician will inject lidocaine to numb the area before inserting the needle. You may feel pressure, but not pain. Once the needle reaches the sympathetic nerves, a small amount of steroid medication will be injected. After the treatment, you will be monitored in a recovery room for about 10-15 minutes.

You may feel relief immediately following the injection. This is typically a result of the local anesthetic, which will wear off in 1-2 hours. You will be instructed to rest and limit movement of the area for two hours following the injection. You do not need to be completely immobile, but we encourage you to limit movement to keep as much of the steroid in place as possible while it thickens. You may experience pain for 1-2 days after the injection, as it takes 24-48 hours for the steroid’s anti-inflammatory properties to kick in.