Over 39 million Americans live with migraines, and neck pain ranks among the top five causes of disability worldwide. These conditions are more than distressing; they can significantly impact daily life. Unfortunately, conventional therapies often fail to provide lasting relief, particularly when pain is linked to irritated or compressed nerves.
At Grand Rapids Pain, led byKeith Javery, DO, andGirish Juneja, MD, we specialize in advanced interventional pain management for complex head and neck conditions. As the most experienced team of board-certified pain specialists in West Michigan, we use targeted solutions like nerve blocks to identify the source of pain and deliver effective relief with minimal downtime. If conservative care isn’t working, schedule a consultation today and explore new options for relief.
Here’s what you should know about how nerve blocks work, what they treat, and how they fit into a personalized care plan.
What Are Nerve Blocks and How Do They Work?
A nerve block is an injection of medication—typically a local anesthetic, steroid, or both—near a specific nerve or group of nerves. The goal is to interrupt the transmission of pain signals from the affected area to the brain.
In patients experiencing pain in the head or neck, nerve blocks can be used to:
- Diagnose the source of pain
- Reduce inflammation around irritated spinal or peripheral nerves
- Provide lasting pain relief that improves daily function
Some nerve blocks are used diagnostically to help pinpoint the exact nerve contributing to your symptoms, especially when previous treatments have failed to provide clarity. For patients with treatment-resistant pain, nerve blocks also serve a therapeutic role by calming overactive nerve pathways, reducing inflammation, and offering relief that other approaches may not achieve. This dual benefit makes nerve blocks a valuable option when conventional treatments haven’t brought lasting results.
Types of Nerve Blocks for Head and Neck Pain
At Grand Rapids Pain, we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to interventional care. Our team uses advanced, image-guided nerve block techniques designed for accuracy, safety, and long-term relief. These approaches are especially effective for complex or treatment-resistant cases.
Below are several types of nerve blocks we offer, each performed with exceptional precision and personalized care.
Occipital Nerve Blocks
Occipital nerves extend from the cervical spine into the scalp and are often involved in headache disorders like occipital neuralgia. Using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, we deliver medication directly to the greater or lesser occipital nerves to quiet inflammation at its source and reduce radiating pain into the head and upper neck.
Trigeminal Nerve Blocks
For patients with facial pain syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia, we use refined block techniques to selectively numb specific branches of the trigeminal nerve. These procedures require expert anatomical knowledge and precise targeting to minimize discomfort and avoid impacting surrounding healthy tissue.
Cervical Medial Branch or Facet Blocks
Spinal arthritis and degenerative joint disease in the cervical spine can trigger persistent neck pain. Cervical medial branch blocks interrupt pain signals from the facet joints. These injections are performed with real-time imaging to ensure precise placement and optimal results.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Not all pain stems from the spine. Injuries, surgeries, or entrapment syndromes in the head and neck can inflame smaller peripheral nerves. Our team performs targeted peripheral nerve blocks with high-resolution guidance to isolate and calm affected nerve tissue, often restoring function and comfort in areas where other clinics may overlook the source.
Conditions That Benefit from Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks can be used to treat a variety of primary and secondary headache disorders and neck pain conditions, including:
- Migraine and tension-type headaches
- Occipital neuralgia
- Cervicogenic headaches (headaches originating from neck dysfunction)
- Chronic neck pain due to degenerative joint disease
- Post-traumatic headache or nerve trauma
- Pain following neck surgery or radiation treatment
- Pain caused by nerve blockage in the neck or irritated spinal nerves
When paired with other therapies—such as physical therapy, regenerative medicine, or minimally invasive spinal techniques—nerve blocks become a key component of a comprehensive pain relief plan.
Risks, Benefits, and Expected Outcomes
When performed by skilled interventional pain specialists like Dr. Keith Javery and Dr. Girish Juneja, nerve blocks do more than just relieve pain; they help restore function, guide treatment, and improve long-term outcomes.
Here’s what you can expect from a precision nerve block at Grand Rapids Pain:
- Rapid Relief from Targeted Pain: Many patients feel immediate or near-immediate pain relief, especially when inflammation or nerve irritation is involved.
- Improved Movement and Daily Function: With pain reduced, patients often regain mobility, experience fewer spasms, and feel more confident resuming normal activities.
- Lower Dependence on Medications: By directly calming the nerves causing discomfort, nerve blocks may reduce the need for oral medications or opioid-based treatments.
- Diagnostic Clarity: In cases of complex or treatment-resistant pain, nerve blocks can pinpoint the exact nerve source, helping our doctors develop the most effective care plan.
- Sustained Relief Over Time: For chronic conditions, a series of image-guided injections—such as serial occipital nerve blocks—can help manage symptoms with fewer flare-ups and more consistent comfort.
Most side effects are mild and short-lived, such as slight soreness or bruising at the injection site. Serious complications are rare when nerve blocks are administered by board-certified experts with extensive experience.
At Grand Rapids Pain, Dr. Javery and Dr. Juneja take pride in offering nerve block techniques that are precise, patient-specific, and grounded in the most current medical evidence—helping you get back to life with greater control and confidence.
Why Choose Grand Rapids Pain
At Grand Rapids Pain, we don’t just mask your symptoms—we locate and treat the true source of pain using highly targeted techniques that preserve surrounding tissues and minimize systemic side effects. Our board-certified interventional pain specialists, Dr. Javery and Dr. Juneja, lead a team that uses image-guided injections and advanced therapeutics to improve outcomes where conservative care has failed.
What makes us different?
- MIST 2.0 (Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapeutics): We’re leaders in advanced, non-surgical pain procedures that offer alternatives to open surgery.
- Multispecialty Expertise: While we’re known for spine care, we treat a wide range of complex conditions, including nerve damage from trauma, cancer-related pain, CRPS, and persistent pain after surgery.
- Diagnostic Precision: We use nerve blocks not just for pain relief, but to pinpoint the origin of difficult-to-diagnose conditions.
- Whole-Person Care: We tailor every treatment plan to the individual, whether it involves a greater occipital nerve injection, regenerative medicine, or a broader interventional strategy.
There is no anatomic region we haven’t seen or treated. When your pain doesn’t respond to the usual approaches, our team brings novel solutions that other specialists simply don’t offer.
Reclaim Relief with Expert Nerve Block Care
Nerve blocks offer targeted, lasting relief for many head and neck conditions, especially when first-line treatments haven’t worked. With decades of combined expertise,Dr. Keith Javery andDr. Girish Juneja provide trusted, patient-first care using today’s most precise interventional tools.
Call (616) 727-0083 or book an appointment online to start your path to lasting pain relief with West Michigan’s most trusted team in advanced pain care
