I injured my back and was in so much pain that I would do anything for relief. I had the nerve block while I was waiting for the FDA to approve the artificial disc replacement. My block was in the area of L4-L5.

They had me lay on my stomach on a table where they had an x-ray machine that allowed the doc to see exactly where the needle was going. The purpose is to put the medication as close to the nerve as possible without touching the nerve. They injected 3 different nerves. I felt a lot of pressure with the 1st 2 injections, much more than an epidural injection. But the 3rd injection hit too close to a nerve. It was like an electric current shot through me, down my hip and leg. I raised up off the table and screamed and cried out in pain. After the procedure they tried to move me to another bed, but my legs were numb and I couldn't stand. Within the hour the numbness wore off and my husband took me home. I was told to stay in bed a couple of days. While in bed, my legs would involuntary jerk and I had shooting, stabbing pain in both legs. I called my doc, he said to call him back in a couple of days if this didn't go away. It didn't go away. The jerking continued to move though out my entire body. That was in 2004, and I am still having jerks in my upper body. Not only do I have the back pain, I now have stress headaches due to the tension in my shoulders and neck. I have seen several neurologists and movement disorders doctors. I have even been to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. All doctors agree the procedure caused my problem, however no treatment has been successful. I can't have my back surgery because the jerking will dislodge any hardware. I know all Nerve Blocks don't end this way. But you do need to know the risk involved. I wish I had not had it done.