A lumbar sympathetic block is an injection of long acting anesthetic to the sympathetic bundle of nerves in the lumbar spine. This is used to treat a regional pain syndrome that typically affects the lower back and legs.
A sympathetic block can relieve:
- Sciatica pain
- Lower back pain
- Leg pain
- Shingles pain in the legs
- Nerve pain associated with peripheral neuropathy
Many patients report pain relief immediately after the injection, but if pain returns once the anesthetic wears off, longer term relief begins after two to three days. The amount of treatments needed varies by patient condition and pain levels.
