Nerve blocks involve injecting local anesthetic (with or without steroid) around specific nerves to interrupt pain signals. IPC performs a comprehensive range of both diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks targeting pain throughout the body.
By interrupting pain signals at their source, nerve blocks help reduce discomfort and improve your quality of life — often eliminating the need for more invasive treatments. Our experienced pain management team is dedicated to crafting personalized care plans that meet your unique needs and recovery goals.
Whether you are seeking relief from headaches, facial pain, chest wall pain, abdominal pain, or pelvic pain, our specialists have the expertise to precisely target the nerves responsible for your symptoms.
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An occipital nerve block targets the greater and lesser occipital nerves at the base of the skull. These nerves are commonly involved in chronic headaches, migraines, and neck-to-head pain patterns. The injection delivers anesthetic and steroid around the nerves where they emerge from the cervical muscles at the back of the head.
Conditions treated include chronic migraine, occipital neuralgia, cervicogenic headaches, tension-type headaches, cluster headaches, and post-concussion headaches.
The procedure is quick (under 10 minutes) and can be performed in the office. Temporary numbness of the scalp is expected and resolves within hours. Relief typically lasts 2-4 weeks.
Learn MoreA stellate ganglion block targets the stellate ganglion — a collection of sympathetic nerve fibers located at the base of the neck near the C7 vertebra. This block interrupts the sympathetic nervous system's contribution to pain in the head, face, neck, and upper extremities.
Conditions treated include complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the upper extremity, sympathetically maintained pain, Raynaud's syndrome, phantom limb pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
A successful block produces Horner's syndrome on the treated side — confirming the sympathetic nerves have been blocked. Individual blocks provide relief lasting days to weeks.
Learn MoreA celiac plexus block targets the celiac plexus — a network of nerves located behind the stomach near the aorta that transmits pain signals from the abdominal organs. This procedure is primarily used for patients with severe abdominal pain from cancer (especially pancreatic cancer) or chronic pancreatitis.
Using fluoroscopic and/or CT guidance, needles are positioned on either side of the aorta. For cancer pain, a neurolytic agent may be used to provide prolonged nerve destruction. For non-cancer pain, local anesthetic and steroid are used.
For cancer pain with neurolysis, relief can last 3-6 months or longer. For non-cancer pain, relief from anesthetic/steroid blocks lasts weeks to months.
Learn MoreAn intercostal nerve block targets the intercostal nerves that run along the underside of each rib. These blocks treat pain in the chest wall, rib cage, and upper abdominal wall.
Conditions treated include post-herpetic neuralgia (shingles pain) along a rib, rib fracture pain, post-thoracotomy pain, intercostal neuralgia, and costochondritis.
Multiple levels may be blocked in a single session. Relief typically lasts 2-4 weeks from a single injection. Repeat injections can provide cumulative benefit.
Learn MoreA genicular nerve block targets the genicular nerves — small sensory nerves that transmit pain signals from the knee joint. This is a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for chronic knee pain, particularly in patients who are not candidates for or wish to delay knee replacement surgery.
Conditions treated include chronic knee osteoarthritis, post-total knee replacement pain, and degenerative knee joint disease.
If the block provides significant relief, you become a candidate for genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation for longer-lasting results. Diagnostic blocks last hours; therapeutic steroid injections last 1-3 months.
Learn MoreFollowing positive diagnostic genicular nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation creates heat lesions on the genicular nerves to provide long-lasting knee pain relief. This is a game-changing option for patients with chronic knee arthritis who want to avoid or delay knee replacement surgery.
Radiofrequency cannulas are positioned at three genicular nerve locations under fluoroscopy. After sensory and motor testing confirms proper placement, each nerve is heated to 80 degrees Celsius for 90 seconds.
Studies show 60-75% of patients achieve 50%+ pain reduction lasting 6-12 months. The procedure is repeatable with consistent results.
Learn MorePeripheral nerve blocks target individual nerves in the arms, legs, or trunk to diagnose and treat localized pain. IPC performs a variety of peripheral nerve blocks tailored to the specific nerve causing your symptoms.
Conditions treated include meralgia paresthetica (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment), shoulder pain (suprascapular nerve), groin pain (ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve), and post-surgical neuropathic pain.
Using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, the specific peripheral nerve is identified and targeted. Diagnostic blocks last hours; therapeutic injections provide weeks to months of relief.
Learn MoreThis block targets the superior hypogastric plexus located in front of the lower lumbar spine. It addresses visceral pain from pelvic organs — a particularly effective option for pelvic cancer pain, endometriosis-related pain, and chronic pelvic pain syndromes.
Under fluoroscopic guidance, needles are positioned at the anterolateral surface of the L5 vertebral body near the superior hypogastric plexus. Local anesthetic and steroid are injected.
Relief ranges from weeks to months for anesthetic/steroid blocks, and 3-6+ months with neurolysis for cancer pain.
Learn MoreThe ganglion impar (ganglion of Walther) is a solitary sympathetic ganglion located at the sacrococcygeal junction. This block targets visceral and sympathetic pain in the perineal, rectal, and coccygeal regions.
Conditions treated include coccydynia (tailbone pain), chronic perineal pain, vulvodynia, proctalgia, and rectal cancer pain.
Relief lasts weeks to months. Radiofrequency ablation or neurolysis may be used for longer-lasting results.
Learn MoreReducing Pain. Improving Function. Enhancing Quality of Life.
We specialize in advanced pain management solutions, offering minimally invasive treatments to help patients live pain-free and improve their quality of life.