Injections and nerve blocks.
Procedures are performed under live imaging guidance as day cases, following international safety standards. Most take 15 to 30 minutes, and most patients go home the same day.
| Procedure | What it treats |
|---|---|
| Epidural steroid injection (interlaminar, transforaminal, or caudal) | Radicular pain (radiating arm or leg pain), spinal stenosis |
| Facet joint injection or medial branch block | Facet-joint back and neck pain |
| Sacroiliac joint injection | Sacroiliac joint pain |
| Genicular nerve block | Chronic knee pain, knee osteoarthritis |
| Joint and bursa injections (hip, knee, shoulder) | Osteoarthritis and chronic joint pain |
| Sympathetic nerve blocks (stellate ganglion, lumbar sympathetic) | CRPS, nerve pain, circulation-related pain |
| Occipital nerve block and Botox for migraine | Headache, occipital neuralgia, chronic migraine |
| Peripheral nerve blocks and trigger point injections | Localised nerve and muscular pain |
Awake, numbed, and monitored.
Before
You will be asked about blood-thinning medication, allergies, and recent illness. Most procedures need no fasting beyond what you are told at booking. A time-out check confirms the procedure and site before anything starts.
During
The skin is numbed with local anesthetic. Needles are placed under live X-ray or ultrasound, so the medication reaches exactly the structure being treated. Most patients feel pressure rather than sharp pain. Light sedation may be offered for longer therapeutic procedures; diagnostic blocks are done awake so the result can be trusted.
After
A short recovery, a written aftercare sheet, and a follow-up plan. Steroid effects usually begin over 3 to 7 days.
Why a test block first?
A diagnostic block numbs one specific nerve or joint under live imaging, to show whether it really is the source of your pain. International guidelines call for the diagnosis to be confirmed with controlled diagnostic blocks before longer-term treatment is planned. SSMC follows that standard: the diagnosis is proven before it is treated.
Safety standards
- Live fluoroscopy or ultrasound guidance for every injection
- ASRA and International Pain and Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS) practice guidelines, including anticoagulant management
- Continuous monitoring, emergency equipment, and written emergency protocols in the procedure room
- Plain-language consent: risks, benefits, and alternatives explained before you decide
Take the first step toward relief.
Book a consultation. A referral from another doctor is welcome but not required.