Shoulder and neck pain can be quite uncomfortable. When the pain is the result of a surgical procedure, it can inhibit recovery by limiting a patient’s ability to actively participate in physical therapy. Fortunately, there are ways to manage such pain without relying on prescription pain pills. The interscalene brachial plexus block is one option.
Also known as the interscalene block, this particular method of pain relief involves injecting a local anesthetic into the shoulder. The procedure can be performed as a standalone procedure or utilized to provide continuous anesthesia throughout recovery. The interscalene brachial plexus block is considered safe and effective. It is minimally invasive as well.
Blocking Pain Signals
The primary mechanism behind an interscalene block is blocking pain signals so that they never reach the brain. Doctors are targeting two things: the interscalene and the brachial plexus. Bathing both in a local anesthetic temporarily relieves shoulder and neck pain.
Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX includes the interscalene brachial plexus block on its list of pain management services. Their doctors explain that the interscalene is a group of muscles situated on either side of the neck. They are the muscles that allow the neck to bend and rotate.
As for the brachial plexus, it is a group of nerves located in the upper trunk and neck. They pass between the scalene muscles. The brachial plexus provides both sensation and motion for the shoulders, arms, and hands.
How the Procedure Works
Lone Star doctors are quick to point out that that interscalene brachial plexus block is an outpatient procedure that is performed right in the doctor’s office. The patient is asked to lay on his back, and slightly to one side to expose the affected shoulder. The skin is numbed with the local anesthetic.
Next, the doctor carefully inserts a needle into the shoulder and guides it to the interscalene area. Many doctors rely on ultrasound to help guide needle placement. Once in place, the doctor injects anesthetic that bathes both the interscalene and brachial plexus.
If treatment is designed to provide ongoing relief over several days or weeks, a catheter is inserted. The area can then be continuously bathed with an anesthetic. Otherwise, the relief offered by an interscalene block only lasts a few hours.
A Proven Procedure
If this is the first time you have heard of the interscalene brachial plexus block, you are not alone. Most people are not familiar with injection therapies like this one. But rest assured the interscalene block is a proven procedure with more than 100 years of history behind it. Doctors first began using the procedure to relieve shoulder pain during the late 19th century.
It is not an appropriate treatment for managing long term, chronic pain in the shoulder or neck. But it is an excellent option for managing postoperative pain. A surgeon might recommend the procedure in order to make physical therapy easier after surgery. The hope is to speed up recovery by allowing a patient to more actively participate in therapy sessions that strengthen the muscles and promote healing.
More and more, doctors are coming to the realization that injection therapies and other alternatives are more than capable of replacing prescription painkillers. The interscalene brachial plexus block is a fantastic example of a proven procedure that can reduce or eliminate a patient’s need for pain medication.
As an alternative for managing postoperative pain, the interscalene block offers adequate relief in a minimally invasive procedure with a very low risk for complications. Why more people do not choose it over pain medication is a mystery.