Nerve Blocks | Peak Health
WHAT IS AN OCCIPITAL NERVE BLOCK?
Patients who experience chronic headaches often tell us that their pain arises from the base of their skull or neck. The pain typically radiates from the neck or base of the skull to the top of the head, temple, eye, and/or forehead. Because of this, a common and effective treatment for patients with chronic headaches is Occipital Nerve Blocks.
Pain relief can begin as soon as 15 minutes after the procedure. The length of the relief varies from patient to patient and could last days, weeks or even months and is often more effective at suppressing headaches than oral medications. Your physician at Peak Health can advise you on the best treatment plan for your headaches.
WHAT IS AN ANKLE NERVE BLOCK?
An ankle nerve block is a safe local anesthetic medication (bupivacaine) placed in five locations around the ankle to effect multiple nerves as they enter the foot.
Ankle nerve blocks are provided to relieve pain and stiffness associated with nerve damage, injuries and peripheral neuropathy in the feet. Ankle nerve blocks help to eliminate pain, burning, tingling and other symptoms in the treated area allowing the therapeutic treatments sufficient time to heal the ankle/foot and restore normal nerve function. Repeated use can help to condition the nerve response and reduce painful flare-ups.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN ANKLE NERVE BLOCK?
One ankle nerve block is unlikely to provide any lasting benefit. If our medical team feels that you are a good candidate for ankle nerve blocks, they will set you up on a schedule, which is typically 1-2 times per week for 4-8 weeks.
Most patients are able to return to normal activities immediately following the procedure but always check with your medical provider before resuming normal activity.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I STILL HAVE SYMPTOMS AFTER COMPLETING THE SERIES?
Occasionally, we’ll have patients who do not respond to the ankle nerve blocks. While this is rare, there are other treatments in our office that may help when the ankle nerve blocks do not, such as Neural Prolotherapy (NPT).