Question about nerve blocks

It get quite a few nerve blocks but the ones I get regularly are trigeminal blocks. I have never had a continious numb feeling, and since trigeminal blocks are along the face, I don't think I would want one. I had both TMJs replaced so the nerves are super sensitive and the blocks due help to decrease the pain-not a ton-but a bit. They also help calm the areas by the eyes where there would be a ton of twitching, similar to if you drink to much caffeine. When I've had nerve blocks in other areas, the Dr will wait until the numb feeling fades to let me go and for some blocks, a driver is needed for this reason.

A nerve block done during a surgery can produce a numbing sensation because it is much stronger. When I had surgery on my arm I had a block while inpatient. It was a continuous infusion until it was discontinued prior to discharge.

There's a lot of difference in effectiveness of blocks depending on the reason for the block, location, and what is injected. The type and experience of the doctor is important too.

Some local anesthetics (numbing agents) last a few minutes, some up to 12 hours. Then, steroids of different types are used to decrease swelling and inflammation in the area, but this action may take days to kick in. Some doctors use Botox or various types of "ablation" to make the block more permanent, although the nerves do grow back, sometimes not the way they were supposed to.

I've had long-lasting blocks for finger and shoulder and knee surgeries. Shoulder surgery is often done with a block in a nerve "plexus" where nerves come together. Local block, the 12 hour type, gave me relief for knee surgery, although for that and the shoulder I was also put to sleep to prevent moving. For finger and knee a tourniquet is applied to keep the anesthetic in place.

I've had blocks in the spine for sciatica, low back pain, broken rib pain, and shingles, all with good results at least for a while. When the pain comes back and shots no longer gave long-lasting relief, I've needed facet joint nerve ablations.

I have had local anesthetic injections for multiple surgeries including colostomy and takedown and other abdominal surgeries. This keeps pain from screaming back immediately post-op.

I've had intercostal injections for broken ribs, but this only worked very briefly and I think the anesthetic was not a long-lasting type. It did not work well enough to count as a success. Spinal facet joint block did work!

Tailbone injection hurt worse than any of the others and only served to increase pain, which I still have. Ankle injection numbed the area for a couple of hours, then I couldn't walk on that for for the rest of the week. I can't recommend either of those!

Forehead injections for nerve injury helped a little, but those hurt too, so it was hard to tell.

"Trigger point" injections in the lower neck and shoulder didn't stop chronic pain in that area after the initial anesthetic wore off.

One time I had a lumbar injection that traveled up the "canals" (my word for the passages) to my head and caused dizziness and double vision for an hour. That one stopped neck and shoulder pain on one side permanently (not the side that's giving me pain now). I wish I could get that one again! But it was an accident.

This is just my personal experiences. Others have had different ones.

Look for a pain doctor -anesthesiologist - with a good record for success. Get a recommendation from your PCP or another respected doctor.

I sympathize. My pain management have done what they know and don't want me back anytime soon. I scheduled to see a neurologist hoping he'll have something else to do with my nerve issues.

I am not ready to just give up! Not yet!