A nerve root block/transformainal is the injection of a therapeutic steroid and local anesthetic medication under X-ray guidance into the area where the nerve exits the spinal column (nerve root). Nerve root blocks can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Pain relief resulted from nerve root blocks ranges from moderate to long-term. Sometimes, nerve root block is conducted to help the physician determine whether or not surgery will be helpful and if yes, at what level of the spine the surgery should be performed.
Your pain may be improved immediately after a nerve root block. The medication used in nerve block, however, usually takes two or three days to start to have an effect in most people, peaking in about two weeks. If you experience local tenderness after receiving a nerve block, use an ice pack three to four times a day to help alleviate the tenderness. Remember to keep track of the amount of pain relief you have received and how long the relief lasts, because this information may help your physician in determining your next treatment.