Knee Genicular Nerve Block
The knee has several nerves that travel through and around the joint. These nerves are collectively called the genicular nerves, which provide stimulation from the nervous system and send signals back to the brain. When your knee hurts for a wide variety of reasons, the genicular nerves send pain signals to the brain. One way to stop knee pain is to block these signals. Our pain specialists at DOCS Health offer knee genicular nerve block injections at our medical center in Los Angeles.
Nerve block injections can be useful for relieving knee pain when other treatments are ineffective. A knee genicular nerve block uses a steroid and anesthetic medication to numb the nerves to determine the source of knee pain and provide relief. If the anesthesia relieves the pain immediately after the injection, the steroid may provide longer relief once it takes effect. Nerve block injections can offer instant relief, but the anesthesia does wear off in a few hours. The steroid can also act as a nerve block, but it requires a few days to be effective.
Diagnostic Tool for Knee Pain Treatment
Determining the exact cause of pain within the knee joint is not always simple. While some injuries and conditions are easily diagnosed, some pain issues can be harder to discover the source. Nerve block injections are used throughout the body to determine where the pain source is located and which nerves send the signal to the brain. Knee genicular nerve block injections can be used to determine the source of pain and whether treatments like radiofrequency ablation could be helpful for reducing pain for longer periods of time.
Knee genicular nerve block injections can provide pain relief for osteoarthritis and other types of knee pain. The results of the injection can last for a few months. If the nerve block injection is effective, using an RFA procedure may be recommended to give longer pain relief.
To learn more about knee genicular nerve block injections and other interventional pain management treatments, contact us at DOCS Health in Beverly Hills, CA, to schedule a knee pain consultation with one of our orthopedic specialists.