If pain travels from your neck into an arm or from your lower back into a leg, an irritated spinal nerve root may be involved. A selective nerve root block places medication around one targeted nerve root to reduce inflammation and may also provide useful information about whether that nerve is contributing to your symptoms. FullRange Spine & Ortho can evaluate whether this targeted approach fits your symptoms and diagnosis.
What Symptoms Can Point to a Spinal Nerve Root?
A compressed or irritated nerve root can cause cervical or lumbar radiculopathy. Mayo Clinic explains that cervical radiculopathy can send pain into the shoulder, arm, or hand, while lumbar radiculopathy can send pain through the buttock and leg. Numbness, tingling, or weakness can follow the same nerve pathway.
You may need a focused evaluation if you have:
- Pain that travels from your neck into an arm or hand
- Pain that runs from your lower back into a buttock or leg
- Numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness along the same path
- Symptoms that persist or return despite conservative care
These patterns can suggest nerve-root irritation, but they don’t identify the cause by themselves.
What Does a Nerve Root Injection Do?
FullRange offers nerve root blocks using a small amount of steroid medication with a medication that numbs a specific nerve as it exits the spinal cord. Imaging guidance helps the physician target the intended nerve root.
The medication may reduce inflammation around the nerve and temporarily ease symptoms. The response can also add information when your symptoms, exam, and imaging don’t line up neatly.
Can a Selective Nerve Root Block Confirm Which Nerve Is Causing Pain?
It can add diagnostic information, but it isn’t a stand-alone answer. A systematic review of diagnostic selective nerve root blocks for lumbar radiculopathy found that their diagnostic accuracy remains uncertain, particularly their ability to identify one symptomatic nerve root confidently.
Your provider should consider your history, exam, imaging, and response to the block together rather than treating the injection as proof by itself.
What Happens If the Block Helps?
If a selective nerve root block reduces your symptoms, that response may help guide further care. Depending on the underlying condition, your plan may include rehabilitation, medication, another injection, or another non-surgical treatment.
At FullRange Spine & Ortho, Dr. Roy Nini is board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine and focuses on non-surgical and minimally invasive care when appropriate.
FAQ
Does a nerve root block permanently fix a pinched nerve?
No. A block may reduce inflammation and pain, but it doesn’t necessarily correct the disc, stenosis, or other structural problem irritating the nerve. Relief can also be temporary.
Do you need a nerve root block for every case of radiating pain?
No. Treatment depends on the cause, your exam and imaging, and how you’ve responded to conservative care. Your provider can decide whether a targeted injection may help.
Ask About Nerve Root Blocks in Los Angeles
If radiating arm or leg pain keeps returning, FullRange Spine & Ortho can evaluate whether a spinal nerve root is involved and whether a targeted injection fits your situation. Contact us to schedule an appointment at one of our greater Los Angeles area locations.
Medically reviewed by Paul Chen Lee, M.D. on