got my first block and boy does this hurt ,Doc told me I had to have 1 a week for 1 month.Is this the right thing to do.The RSD is in my shoulder.

Hi Shadownite!! Welcome to Neurotalk! I'm so sorry you have to be here, but you've found a great place to ask questions and many caring people to help you out and offer support!! Did they sedate you for your block?? Different Pain Docs have different time frames for injections and different methods.

I find that being sedated helps the muscles to relax so it shouldn't hurt much afterward. It may stimulate the nerve endings causing some temporary swelling and increased temperature.....that is actually considered a positive sign for correct placement of the injection. I have never had a stellate block.....mine have all been in my back......so I'm sure others will be able to give you more specific feedback on your particular injection.

My Pain Doc did two blocks a week for a month. I have heard that others do one block every couple of weeks. There is a great variance in the time frame but the important thing is to wait long enough in between to see if they're helping or hurting. Nerve blocks are not successful in many of us with RSD.

Try a warm pack on the injection site to see if that will help ease the pain. Do NOT put ice on it (even if they told you to). Ice is contraindicated in people with RSD. Many nurses, doctors, PT's and hospital staff do not know that.

I'm sorry you are hurting. Hopefully this will be short-lived and you will begin to see better results tomorrow. Just try to rest and relax today. Let your sympathetic nervous system calm down and hopefully your pain levels will decrease as well.

Please keep us posted on how you're doing!!!

I have CRPS in my right shoulder and have had 3 nerve block injections. It hurt a bit for about 1/2 hour or so but not much. The pain is really from the muscles and not the nerve pain any longer. I was in so much pain before the nerve block injections you could not even touch me, clothes hurt, covers hurt, everything hurt. My skin was on fire. Now the neuropathic pain is almost gone.

I see the pain management doc in the morning to find out if I need any more nerve block injections or just continue with PT to work on the frozen shoulder that has been a result of the CRPS. NOW that is painful!!! I've got some residual shooting pains down my arm/deltoid and tricep muscles that jolt me but the frozen shoulder is causing the majority of my pain at the moment.

Wishing you much luck that the nerve block injections give you relief as they did me. Heat helps immensely, not ice! Ibuprofen. I switched from percocet to Ultram this week and it seems to be helping, not making me as drowsy during the day!

I am also taking Neurontin at night.

I also have MS so it complicates matters just a tad bit...like CRPS isn't enough!

Take care and Welcome to NT!

My doc was going to give blocks 2 a week for 1 month, so 1 a week sounds right. I only had 1 block though as the first was a.....really bad thing. LOL I hope they work for you and bring less pain and hopefully remission!

Hugs,

Karen

I have one more SGB, nerve block, to go to finish up a series of 6 of them on the right side. I already finished a series of 6 of them on the left side. Every 10 to 12 months RSD tries to spread & take hold in my hands. I already have it in my feet. Nerve blocks don't help much for my feet, but this is the 2nd time I have gone thru these series of SGB's for my hands. And to be honest out of the 11 I have had so far I have only had pain lasting more than minutes once. I am sedated & it is done using Fluroscopy. In fact the one I had done last Monday, well I didn't even realize he was done until he said, all done. I felt nothing at all. And that is how it is almost every time.

And so far so good, RSD has not been able to get a good hold on my hands. The minute they start feeling the least bit funny or turn that bright intense red I get into the doctor who does my procedures.

Where is it you are all experiencing pain???

DebbyV

hi shadow and nice to meet you welcome

im am sorry that you are having pain from the block. i have had a load of stellet ganglion blocks lumbar blocks even bier blocks that they dont do anymore. but my doc now makes so that there is minamal pain when he does

i am sorry that you have rsd mine also started in shoulder its now full body i have had rsd for 11 yrs.

welcome again and ask any questions

-carrie