Selective Nerve Root Blocks

Selective nerve root blocks are commonly used at the request of your surgeon. In this case we are trying to identify if the herniated disc is truly causing compression of a single nerve root that is manifesting itself as pain. For instance, if someone had an L5-S1 herniated disc with an L5 nerve root that is being compressed, we can block the L5 nerve root with local anesthetic just to see if the pain goes away. This gives the surgeon a better understanding whether or not to proceed with surgery solely at that level or they have to expand the surgery to more than one level.