medial branch block
 

I am feeling dizzy after my medial branch block of the C4-C6. If I proceede with the RF neurotomy is there a chance I will be dizzy forever??

Really really concerned..... I may teel the Dr. to only do the RF MBB on C5&C6 to avoid being dizzy?

any thoughts.

Thank you :)

J.

I've had numerous MBB's and several RFA's and I while I did have some dizziness with some of them, it was always temporary and it did subside. I have had work done on C3 and when I discussed it with my doctor, he said its quite common to have it from working on the upper cervicals. I'm not a doctor so please discuss your concerns with her/him and I hope you get some relief from them. Take care

thanks
 

Thank you for the feedback.. i was really nervous. I'm not dizzy today. But I am still concerned for the RFA. I dont want it permanent. The Dr. said he was going to do the MBB again before doing the RFA, just to make sure it wont do that again.

Funny thing is now I don't have as much pain, only really hurts now when I sleep. I wonder how long the effects of the MBB will last? He said it should only last 8 hours but here I am 3 days later..

I've been very nervous through this process. Thanks agian for feedback :)

J.

I was also very nervous the first time around. My doctor did a series of two MBB's before proceeding to the RFA. He told me insurance companies require it and you have to have a certain percentage of pain relief before they'll approve it. The relief I got varied and I can't really recall now since I've had so many. My doctor also injected steroids so that may have something to do with it as well. I hope he told you that following the RFA, your pain may get worse before it gets better. I do hope you have good results. Feel free to post your experience after the fact and pop in and let us know how you're doing. Take care :)

You're supposed to call if you're dizzy.. if not go to the doctor..

follow up
 

They did the second MBB and I did not get dizzy because a different Dr. did the procedure and he goes in the front of the neck and not the side like the other Dr. Last time the back of my neck was numb from the lidocaine but this time the side of my neck/ear was numb. I think that is why I had the dizzyness (actually it was called foot drop).

Fast forward to today, I had the RFA ... and I am not dizzy, however I have new pains. It seems like with every procedure i get rid of the last problem and come up with another one... argh.. This is getting flustrating.

Going back to the Dr. today.

Thanks for all the responses :)

J.

Jojee, the RFA will usually make the pain worse before it improves. Call your doctor and ask him about it, he really should have told you to expect it.
Good luck, EE

Pain after block
 

My pain got MUCH worse after the blocks and no one told me this would happen. It's been over a month since my last one(3rd and final by my choice) and I have had some really bad pain. How long did it take for yours to subside???? Still have no idea what triggers mine so no ideas how to stop it. I also had the dizzyness and no one told me of that either. My injections were at C2-3 and I have a titanium plate right below. So far they have only told me I have Occipital nerve pain not neuralgia but at this point I would like to know the difference..
Thanks

If memory serves me right, the first RFA I had was to the upper cervicals and I experienced increased pain for probably six weeks following it. I also had dizzyness, but it also subsided in time. I think the worst was associated with C3&4, but its been awhile so I may be wrong on that. I have read different descriptions of why the doctors use one term or the other. I'm not a medical professional so here is a link which describes the difference http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...explained?open
Hang in there. You say you have a plate below all of this, is that contributing to your pain? Have you spoken to your doctor about this?