Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blocks For Pain Management
Use of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (US) to identify or diagnose painful conditions followed by US guided pain intervention is a growing medical super-speciality in India. Only a few specialists are available in India, who can accurately diagnose as well as treat neuro-musculoskeletal pain conditions.
Ultrasound guided nerve blocks are a contemporary form of chronic pain management. Although the name sounds intimidating, this treatment is used frequently and is considered low-risk and effective. Read on to learn more about how it may be able to help you or a loved one better manage chronic pain symptoms.
What is a Nerve Block?
When we talk about ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks for chronic pain, it’s important to first understand what a nerve block is. Peripheral nerve blocks are a treatment that can reduce symptoms with the strategic use of anesthesia. In this method, pain sensations are blocked with an injection of anesthetic that targets that specific group of nerves.
How Ultrasound Guided Technology Helps
Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block is a procedure used in anesthesia that allows real-time imaging of the positions of the targeted nerve, needle, and surrounding vasculature. This improves the ease of performing the procedure, increases the success rate, and may reduce the risk of complications. In addition to all this, we also note that it may reduce the number of local anesthetics required, while decreasing the onset time of blocks.
Advantages of use of Ultrasound in Pain Practice:
• Can be used on OPD basis.
• No harmful effects of radiation.
• Cost-effective (as compared to CT/MRI scan).
• Improves Accuracy of pain procedure (Near to 100%).
• Diagnosis and US guided pain procedure can be done in same sitting.
• Accurate diagnosis of cause of Painful condition e.g. inflammation/swelling in muscles or bursae; Nerve entrapment sites; joint effusion.
Few diseases in which US guidance is absolutely necessary:
• Joint swelling or effusion.
• Muscle swelling or inflammation.
• Identify and treat Muscle or ligament tears.
• Diagnose Bursitis, tendinitis, tenosynovitis,etc.
• Diagnosis and US guided pain procedure can be done in same sitting.
• Cutaneous Nerve entrapment syndrome e.g. meralgia paresthetica, carpal tunnel syndrome, inguinal neuralgia, etc.
Specific facilities available:
• US guided Joint injection e.g. knee joint pain.
• Diagnostic Neuro-musculoskeletal Ultrasound (US).
• S guided Joint Hydrodilatation e.g. frozen shoulder.
• US guided spine procedures e.g. back pain, neck pain, etc.
• US guided Nerve hydrodisection e.g. Carpal tunnel syndrome, Cubital tunnel syndrome, Meralgia paresthetica, inguinal neuralgia, etc.
• US guided Ganglion block or Neurolysis e.g. Stellate ganglion block, Lumbar sympathetic ganglion block, Superior Hypogastric plexus block, etc.
• US guided Nerve blocks / Neurolysis e.g. Occipital nerve block for chronic Headache; Medial Branch block for neck or back pain; Genicular nerve block for Hip pain / knee pain; etc.