Know All Your Options
(Before Drugs or Surgery)
Our team of diverse professionals combine a holistic approach to address pain at the source.
What is a Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB)?
A Selective Nerve Root Block is a high-precision diagnostic procedure used to isolate and identify the exact source of radiating pain. While other injections, like the Transforaminal Epidural (TFESI), are primarily therapeutic—designed to deliver broad anti-inflammatory relief to a general area—the SNRB is a clinical "stress test" for a specific nerve.In many cases, an MRI may show multiple abnormalities (such as bulging discs or stenosis) at several different levels of the spine. The SNRB allows our medical team to determine which of these levels is the actual "short circuit" causing your symptoms. By injecting a small, concentrated dose of anesthetic directly onto a single nerve root under fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance, we can observe the immediate effect. If your typical pain vanishes during the block, we have successfully identified the primary pain generator.
The Goodlife Approach: Accuracy as the Foundation for a Cure
At Goodlife Physical Medicine, our mission is to address the root cause of your problem to achieve a permanent CURE. We recognize that a successful outcome is entirely dependent on an accurate diagnosis.In our multidisciplinary framework, the SNRB serves as the definitive roadmap for your recovery. By pinpointing the exact nerve root responsible for your pain, we eliminate the guesswork. This information is vital not only for our Chiropractors and Physical Therapists to customize your rehabilitative protocol but is also a critical requirement for surgical planning. If a surgical intervention becomes necessary, the SNRB provides the surgeon with the "ground truth," ensuring they operate on the correct level and avoiding unnecessary or ineffective procedures.
Right for You?
A Selective Nerve Root Block may be a necessary component of your multidisciplinary treatment plan if:
- Your MRI shows "multilevel" findings, and it is unclear which one is causing your pain.
- You are being evaluated for potential spinal surgery and need to confirm the exact surgical site.
- Your symptoms (pain, numbness, or weakness) are localized to a very specific area of the arm or leg.
- Previous therapeutic injections (like traditional epidurals) have provided only partial or confusing results.
Potential Benefits
- Definitive Diagnostic Clarity: Distinguishes between the "symptomatic" nerve and incidental MRI findings that may not be causing pain.
- Informs Surgical Success: Provides the gold-standard evidence needed to plan a targeted and successful surgical intervention.
- Minimizes Unnecessary Treatment: Prevents broad-spectrum treatments by focusing all multidisciplinary efforts on the true source of dysfunction.
- Precision Safety: Performed with real-time imaging to ensure the highest level of accuracy and patient safety.
How It Works
4 Locations: Serving the South Bay of Los Angeles
Know your coverage
(You may be covered)
Proud providers of major insurance companies
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Disclaimers: Individual results may vary. A Selective Nerve Root Block is a diagnostic medical procedure administered by a licensed physician as part of a comprehensive care plan. The primary goal of an SNRB is diagnostic information, and while temporary relief is expected, it is not intended as a long-term therapeutic solution. Surgical decisions are made based on a combination of clinical findings, imaging, and diagnostic blocks. Insurance coverage for diagnostic blocks is subject to your carrier's specific "medical necessity" and "surgical clearance" guidelines.