I am going to have a spinal hardware block done next week to see if the hardware is causing me this horrible pain. I have tried just about everything else and I really do think it is the hardware that is causing me this pain. The surgeon says my spine has not fused and since the hardware is in the thoraic that I don't need the hardware anyway because the thoraic is fairly stable.


They are going to inject lidocaine into my back where the hardware is. I am going to be sent home with a pain diary. If the procedure is successful, then later I can have the hardware out. I really want to have the hardware out. REALLY. My questions for the forum are: What makes the procedure successful? If I am not in pain for a day, is that reason enough for them to take the hardware out, or does it have to be 3 to 5 days? Or can it be just one day? Isn't lidocaine good for only 2 hours?

Hi and welcome to NT

Just thinkin'....

They'll use the procedure diagnostically, to determine the site of pain by the numbness effect, hence, noticeably no pain or less pain would indicate positively that the hardware is the culprit.

and yes, removing it would be a surgical procedure, with all the risks and benefits that go along with it.

Pain is a horrible thing to endure. if they know it's the cause, then I'd have to want it taken out in the near future.

There's lots of info here, so look around. There's something for everyone here.

Before my surgery I had 3 facet joint blocks to determine which level was the worst. I had 1 on Monday, the 2nd on Tuesday and the last on Friday. I had very short term relief, only about 12 hours on each one and different % of relief on each one. So I don't think they measure the relief in days, just IF you get relief or not.

Matt