Physicians may advise individuals suffering from middle back pain resulting from a thoracic (middle) spine condition to get a nerve block injection in this region to reach a more precise diagnosis. Also called a selective nerve root block injection, this procedure is typically performed for patients who are experiencing pain and other symptoms of a compressed nerve root. The spine is composed of a number of complex parts. As we age, these parts begin to wear down, just like any other part of the body.

This natural degenerative process can cause a number of spine conditions that alter the spine’s anatomy, such as a bone spur, herniated disc or bulging disc, all of which can potentially compress one of the nerve roots in the spine. A nerve block involves the injection of a numbing agent directly into the nerve root that is believed to be the source of symptoms. Read on to learn more about the different reasons this is administered and how the team at USA Spine Care uses this procedure.

Why might I need a nerve block injection in the middle back?

A physician may advise a patient to get a nerve block injection in the back to help accurately diagnose the precise cause of the patient’s pain. If the patient’s pain subsides immediately after the nerve block injection is administered, it can be assumed that the compressed nerve root has been identified.

To determine potential sources of a patient’s back pain prior to the injection, the physician takes into account the patient’s symptoms. For example, symptoms caused by a compressed nerve root in the thoracic (middle) region of the spine typically lead to the following symptoms:

• Local pain
• Pain that shoots around the chest and abdomen
• Numbness, tingling or muscle weakness in the torso area

Relief Confirmation Test at USA Spine Care

For patients who have exhausted conservative treatments and are considering the benefits of our minimally invasive spine surgery, USA Spine Care offers a Relief Confirmation Test. This is a diagnostic selective nerve root block designed to give our patients a better understanding of the potential relief offered by undergoing one of our outpatient procedures. Although the outcome of any spine surgery can never be completely guaranteed, the Relief Confirmation Test can help patients make this important decision based on the relief they felt after receiving the diagnostic procedure.

USA Spine Care is the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery and has helped more than 75,000 patients find relief since 2005 at our state-of-the-art facilities across the United States. To learn more about our procedures and our board-certified surgeons,+ contact us today.

We are happy to offer a no-cost MRI review* to determine if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures.