Diagnostic Injections
Many types of spine and nerve conditions cause pain, but you can find relief if you have an accurate diagnosis. The team of specialists at NovaSpine Pain Institute offers diagnostic injections to identify the root cause of your pain so you can be sure you’re getting the right treatment. The team has extensive experience and offers diagnostic injections at their offices in Sun City West, Sun City, Gilbert, and Glendale, Arizona. To schedule an evaluation with an expert physician, call the office nearest you today or use the online contact form.
Diagnostic Injections Q & A
What are diagnostic injections?
Diagnostic injections are spinal injections used to help identify the affected joints and nerves that contribute to spine-related pain.
Most diagnostic injections use pain relief as the primary identifying factor — if the injection relieves your pain in a specific area, your diagnosis can be confirmed.
Common diagnostic injections include:
Nerve block injections
A selective nerve root blocking agent is injected into the spinal nerve to determine the origin of your pain. Nerve root injections are used primarily to diagnose nerve-related conditions in the neck and lower back.
Sacroiliac joint injections
If you have pain in your lower back or buttocks, an injection into the base of your spine can help determine the cause. The injection includes an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medication to relieve pain.
Facet joint injections
An injection between your vertebrae can identify affected structures along the spine. This injection also uses an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medication.
Which conditions can be diagnosed with injections?
The skilled experts at NovaSpine Pain Institute do joint injections to accurately diagnose a variety of conditions like:
- Degenerative disc disease
- Facet joint disease
- Sciatica
- Osteoarthritis
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
An accurate diagnosis is essential to successful treatment and long-lasting pain relief.
What happens during a diagnostic injection procedure?
The experienced doctors at NovaSpine Pain Institute do spinal injections using fluoroscopic (X-ray) imaging for guidance.
You wear a hospital gown and recline comfortably while your specialist injects a mild anesthetic beneath your skin near the treatment site. Your specialist checks in with you while they inject the medication into your spine. You report changes in your pain level and other sensations.
Your doctor carefully analyzes your response to the injection and calls you with your results within a week of your test. The area around the injection site could feel numb for up to an hour after your procedure.
Most patients can resume normal activities right away, but your doctor will give you instructions about certain activities to avoid for the next few days.
You don’t have to live with debilitating back pain that interferes with the quality of your life. For accurate diagnosis and treatment of pain, schedule an evaluation at NovaSpine Pain Institute by calling the nearest office today or using the online contact form.