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Sympathetic Nerve Block

A sympathetic nerve block is used to treat persistent chronic pain by blocking the transmission of the pain signals from the sympathetic nerve roots.
What is a Sympathetic Nerve Block?
The sympathetic nerves roots are located in the spinal cord but the nerve fibers extend to all major parts of the body such as muscles, glands, organs, arms, and legs.

The sympathetic nerves transmit sensory information like touch, pain, and temperature. They also regulate many processes like heart rate, respiration, perspiration, facial and body movement, and digestion. This type of block is typically performed if other methods such as pain medication or steroid injections have not been effective at relieving pain.

Conditions Treated with a Sympathetic Nerve Block
Sympathetic blocks can be used to treat many painful conditions including:
Possible Side Effects of a Sympathetic Nerve Block
As with most medical procedures, there are potential risks associated with a sympathetic nerve block. Although these side effects are rather rare, it is important to discuss the following symptoms with your doctor.
  • Temporary soreness around the injection site
  • Bleeding at or around the injection site
  • Bruising around the injection site
  • A feeling of warmth, or some weakness
Conditions Treated with a Sympathetic Nerve Block
Sympathetic blocks can be used to treat many painful conditions including:
Possible Side Effects of a Sympathetic Nerve Block
As with most medical procedures, there are potential risks associated with a sympathetic nerve block. Although these side effects are rather rare, it is important to discuss the following symptoms with your doctor.
  • Temporary soreness around the injection site
  • Bleeding at or around the injection site
  • Bruising around the injection site
  • A feeling of warmth, or some weakness
Why Choose Sympathetic Nerve Block for Pain Relief?
Sympathetic nerve blocks have proven to be effective at treating many types of pain for different regions of the body. The most common areas are the back, neck, head, the upper and lower arms and legs, and the tailbone. It is important to pinpoint the location that is causing the pain, this will help determine the appropriate sympathetic nerve to treat to help relieve the pain.

The sympathetic block treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed quickly. Most patients have significant improvements that can last for several months. It is a highly effective treatment option because it can target the specific nerves that are responsible for causing the pain.

Why Choose Sympathetic Nerve Block for Pain Relief?
Sympathetic nerve blocks have proven to be effective at treating many types of pain for different regions of the body. The most common areas are the back, neck, head, the upper and lower arms and legs, and the tailbone. It is important to pinpoint the location that is causing the pain, this will help determine the appropriate sympathetic nerve to treat to help relieve the pain.

The sympathetic block treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed quickly. Most patients have significant improvements that can last for several months. It is a highly effective treatment option because it can target the specific nerves that are responsible for causing the pain.

Find out if Sympathetic Nerve Block Could Work for You
If you suffer from debilitating pain and have already tried other conventional treatment methods, you may be a candidate for a sympathetic nerve block. Request an appointment with one of our pain specialists located in The Woodlands to learn more about nerve blocks and to find out if it’s the right choice for you.
Find out if Sympathetic Nerve Block Could Work for You
If you suffer from debilitating pain and have already tried other conventional treatment methods, you may be a candidate for a sympathetic nerve block. Request an appointment with one of our pain specialists located in The Woodlands to learn more about nerve blocks and to find out if it’s the right choice for you.
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Dr. R. Alan Moore

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Learn more about some of the common causes of abdominal pain that we treat at our office in The Woodlands.
The pelvic region of the body is located between the abdomen and the thighs (below the belly button and above the legs.) The pelvis protects internal organs including the bladder, intestines, and reproductive organs and supports the hip joints.

Chronic abdominal pain is noticeable but not crippling pain that lasts for more than a few days. It may also appear on and off over the course of several months. This type of persistent, nagging abdominal pain may be caused by a condition that needs to be treated, but is not an emergency and won’t go away on its own.

Reproductive Conditions
Chronic pelvic pain in women may be caused by:

  • Endometriosis - when uterine tissue grows in other parts of the body, including the pelvis, causing pain and scarring
  • Fibroid tumors - non-cancerous growths in or on the uterus

In men, it may be caused by prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).

In men or women, chronic pelvic pain may be due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), interstitial cystitis (a common bladder problem) or another condition of the digestive tract.

Pudendal Neuralgia
The pudendal nerve is the main nerve in the pelvis that supplies sensation to the lower buttocks, anal region, and genital region of both men and women. Pudendal neuralgia is a condition that occurs when this nerve is damaged or irritated. Symptoms of pudendal neuralgia include pelvic pain that feels like a burning, shooting, or prickling sensation. Pain may develop suddenly or gradually and may be constant but worse while sitting down. Other symptoms may include numbness in the pelvic region, pain during sex, and feeling a swelling sensation in your buttocks and genital regions.
Tailbone Pain
The tailbone, also known as the coccyx, is the small, triangular bone at the bottom of the spine. Tailbone pain is usually caused by trauma to the area resulting from

  • a fall
  • a blow to the area
  • repetitive friction in the area – from bicycling, for example
  • prolonged sitting on a hard surface
  • joint degeneration
  • injury to a woman’s tailbone during childbirth

Symptoms of tailbone injury include severe, localized pain and tenderness and possibly bruising.

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Pain Management Specialists
in The Woodlands

Pain Management Center of Houston is a multi-faceted pain management practice that is focused on providing pain relief to patients in The Woodlands and surrounding areas. Our goal is to help patients find the cause of their ongoing pain so that we can not only provide relief, but treat the source of the pain.

Start your path to pain relief, a better future, and a more promising quality of life.

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What is Radiofrequency Ablation?
After identifying which spinal nerves are causing a patient’s back pain, the doctor performs radiofrequency ablation to deactivate the part of those nerves that are signaling pain. Guided with x-ray imagery, the doctor guides a tiny probe into the spinal area until it is positioned next to the targeted nerve. Electrical pulses are passed through the probe, heating it up and destroying the part of the nerve that was sending pain signals to the brain. The targeted nerves still function, they’re just unable to transmit pain sensations.

There is a numbing agent given to the local area being treated. The patient remains awake during the procedure that usually takes less than an hour. Patients are able to go home the same day.

What is COOLIEF* Radiofrequency Ablation?
Like other radiofrequency ablation procedures, COOLIEF* disrupts pain signals. Unlike other radiofrequency ablation procedures, COOLIEF* uses water-cooled technology. Water is circulated through the probe at the same time the nerves are being heated. This creates a larger treatment area that leads to better, long-term pain relief and ensures that pain-transmitting nerves being targeted are not overheated, which protects surrounding muscle tissues from side effects like inflammation. COOLIEF* is simply a better version of a proven pain-relieving procedure.
What is Radiofrequency Ablation?
After identifying which spinal nerves are causing a patient’s back pain, the doctor performs radiofrequency ablation to deactivate the part of those nerves that are signaling pain. Guided with x-ray imagery, the doctor guides a tiny probe into the spinal area until it is positioned next to the targeted nerve. Electrical pulses are passed through the probe, heating it up and destroying the part of the nerve that was sending pain signals to the brain. The targeted nerves still function, they’re just unable to transmit pain sensations.

There is a numbing agent given to the local area being treated. The patient remains awake during the procedure that usually takes less than an hour. Patients are able to go home the same day.

What is COOLIEF* Radiofrequency Ablation?
Like other radiofrequency ablation procedures, COOLIEF* disrupts pain signals. Unlike other radiofrequency ablation procedures, COOLIEF* uses water-cooled technology. Water is circulated through the probe at the same time the nerves are being heated. This creates a larger treatment area that leads to better, long-term pain relief and ensures that pain-transmitting nerves being targeted are not overheated, which protects surrounding muscle tissues from side effects like inflammation. COOLIEF* is simply a better version of a proven pain-relieving procedure.