Diagnostic Procedures Help To Identify Pain Origins

Although your treatment plan generally begins with a series of epidural steroid injections to provide immediate pain relief, our goal at Advanced Pain Medicine is to find the root cause of the pain through proper diagnostic procedures and then treat it accordingly.

Common Diagnostic Procedures: 

Cervical Facet Nerve Block

A Cervical Facet Nerve Block (CFNB) is a diagnostic test that will help determine if your pain is being caused by the facet joints, which are located on the side of your spine and often cause pain in the neck, shoulder and occasionally the back of the head.

During the procedure, a small amount of local anesthetic will be injected onto the nerve that will bring sensation to the facet joints and block the pain. If your pain resolves after the block, the doctor may consider that your facet joints are responsible for some of your pain.

The length of the procedure takes only approximately 15 minutes, but allow at least 45 to 60 minutes for the entire process.

Facet Nerve Blocks are generally done in a series of two.

Download detailed information about this procedure. 

Discography/Discogram

Approximately one-half of patients with lower back pain have pain originating from a disc. And although an MRI can detect many problems associated with discs, it cannot determine which disc is necessarily painful.

Discography is a very specific diagnostic procedure used to determine the exact level of disc disease that may be contributing to your pain. Basically, it is an x-ray procedure that serves to identify the origin of the pain by reproducing the pain. Several discs will be studied during the procedure. A needle will be used to inject dye into the discs and the doctor will observe the spread of the dye. We will observe your pain response at each level to determine if it matches your usual pain. Often, a CT scan is performed afterwards for further documentation.

The length of the procedure depends on the number of discs tested, which is determined during the procedure. After your discography, you will be sent to a nearby facility for a CT scan. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the procedure.

If your discograms are abnormal, surgical fusion may be contemplated. However, there are new disc-heating procedures that may help milder conditions. Your physician will discuss all options with you during your follow-up visit.

Download detailed information about this procedure.

Lumbar Facet Nerve Block

A Lumbar Facet Nerve Block (LFNB) is a diagnostic test that will help determine if your pain is being caused by the facet joints, which are located on the side of your spine and often cause pain in the lumbar region.

During the procedure, a small amount of local anesthetic will be injected onto the nerve that will bring sensation to the facet joints in your lower back.  If your pain resolves after the block, the doctor may consider that your facet joints are responsible for some of your pain.

The length of the procedure takes only approximately 15 minutes, but allow at least 45 to 60 minutes for the entire process.

Facet Nerve Blocks are done bilaterally or unilaterally based on the location of your pain, and may be performed in a series of two. The test will be conducted on one side of the spine, and then the patient will return for the opposite side to be tested.

Download detailed information about this procedure.