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Medial Branch Blocks London

Medial branch blocks offer excellent pain relief for certain back and spine conditions, such as facet joint syndrome and spinal arthritis. The medial branch nerves carry pain signals from your spinal joints to the brain, which can lead to chronic or severe pain. Stopping these pain signals with a medial branch block injection can help diagnose and treat nerve pain in your back. Learn more about this spine and back pain treatment below.

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Minimal invasive, long-lasting pain relief

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Private medial branch blocks in central London

Private medial branch blocks in central London

We offer medial branch blocks from the comfort of our pain management clinic at Harley Street Specialist Hospital. Our award-winning private hospital in central London specialises in providing several types of spinal injections, all of which are designed to reduce pain and get you back to the activities you love.

If you’re eligible for a medial branch block, you may be able to get an assessment, diagnosis, and treatment on the same day. There’s no need to make multiple appointments, saving you time and minimising discomfort.

Whether you have private medical insurance or you’re paying for your treatment, we welcome you to book an appointment at your convenience. We don’t have waiting lists, so you can be seen quickly at a time that suits you.

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What is a medial branch block?

The facet joints in your spine are essential for stability and movement. But when they become inflamed, it can cause pain to spread via the medial branch nerves. 

A medial branch block is a type of spinal injection that stops the nerves around your facet joints from sending pain signals to the brain. The injection consists of a local anaesthetic to numb the nerve. Steroid drugs that reduce joint inflammation may also be used.

Doctors use medial branch blocks to pinpoint the specific nerve(s) causing you pain. If they successfully numb the correct nerve, they might recommend a more permanent procedure like radiofrequency nerve ablation or rhizotomy.

The medial branch block procedure

A medial branch block doesn’t require an overnight hospital stay — you’ll usually be able to go home the same day as your procedure. Here’s how it works:

1. Assessment and eligibility — Diagnostic and imaging assessments are an important first step. These tests will ensure you’re a good candidate for a medial branch block.

2. X-ray or ultrasound guidance — Your consultant will use an X-ray or ultrasound scanner to find the medial branch nerve(s) that need to be treated.

3. Sedation and local anaesthetic — You’ll be offered a sedative to help you relax. A local anaesthetic will also be used to numb the area during the procedure.

4. Medial branch block injection — Under X-ray or ultrasound guidance, your doctor will insert the needle to numb the medial branch nerve.

5. Recovery — After the procedure, you’ll go to a recovery room where our team will monitor you for a while to ensure you’re feeling well.

5. Follow-up treatments — If the medial branch block is effective, you might be offered further nerve treatments to give you more permanent pain relief.

A medial branch block injection takes around 30 minutes (including scans), but you’ll stay in the hospital for a few hours afterwards for monitoring and follow-up.

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Medial branch block FAQs

Learn more about medial branch block injections in these frequently asked questions.

Medial branch blocks are used exclusively to diagnose and treat pain stemming from your facet joints. This might include:

  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Trauma to the facet joints.
  • Inflammation of the synovium (a membrane made of soft tissue that lines the facet joints).
  • Spinal instability.

You might feel slight weakness or numbness in your back, arms, or legs for a short while after a medial branch block, but you’ll normally be able to walk and move freely soon after your injection.

Pain relief usually kicks in immediately when the local anaesthetic is administered to the medial branch nerve. The pain relief can last longer if you’re also given steroid treatment.

The most common side effect of a medial branch block is discomfort around the injection site. A small number of patients may also experience:

  • Infection
  • Nerve injury
  • Allergic reaction

These risks are very small when your medial branch block is performed by an experienced surgeon at a safe, high-quality clinic like Harley Street Specialist Hospital.

You might find your pain gets worse for a few days after a medial branch block. While it’s uncomfortable, this is an expected reaction to the swelling and inflammation caused by the injection. After a few days, the pain should start to subside.

If a medial branch block doesn’t give you effective pain relief, your doctor may recommend further tests to find the root cause of your pain. At Harley Street Specialist Hospital, we work with the UK’s largest pool of pain management consultants so we can discover and treat all types of back pain.

Medial branch block costs

Harley Street Specialist Hospital’s medial branch block injection treatment costs range from £3,143 to £3,343 for self-paying customers.

Patients with private medical insurance are also welcome to enquire about medial branch blocks at our clinic.

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Flexible Payment Options to Suit You

Payment Plans

Spread the cost of your medical treatment over several months with our finance options and medical payment plans. This is ideal for patients seeking the speed and comfort of private healthcare without significant upfront payments.

Self-pay

Use our self-payment options to get prompt care with the consultant of your choice. Patients looking for fast, efficient treatment without private health insurance are welcome to pay for treatment before their procedure.

Private Medical Insurance

We welcome patients with private medical insurance from approved insurers, including Bupa, AXA, Aviva, and many more. Find out how to claim for your treatment with private health insurance to get optimum care and comfort.

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Learn more about medial branch blocks

Find out more about medial branch blocks below.

Yes. A medial branch block usually gives substantial pain relief within 15 minutes, thanks to the local anaesthetic. Pain may return within a few hours after the treatment when the anaesthetic wears off.

If a steroid is given alongside local anaesthetic, you should experience longer-term pain relief when the medication starts working (normally after a few days).

Both facet joint injections and medial branch blocks are used to treat facet joint pain. But there is a difference: facet joint injections are inserted directly into the joint, while a medial branch block injects medication into the space surrounding the joint, near the medial branch nerves.

In addition, steroids are normally used for facet joint injections, while they’re not always included in a medial branch block. Ask your doctor what medication they plan to use for your medial branch block.

If you have back or neck pain and your doctor suspects this stems from your facet joints, you may be a candidate for a medial branch block.

However, some patients aren’t eligible for this treatment. This includes those who:

  • Take blood thinning medication such as warfarin or heparin.
  • Have certain allergies.
  • Have an infection (including those currently being treated for infection).

Diabetic patients may also be unsuitable for steroid treatments, as this can impact your blood sugar levels.

A medial branch block is mainly used for diagnosis, so it will usually only be given once (or perhaps twice if your doctors want to confirm the results). If the medial branch block is successful, another type of spinal injection or nerve block may be offered to give you longer-term relief.

Medial branch blocks can help with pain in multiple areas of the spine. Lumbar medial branch blocks are given in the lower back, while cervical medial branch blocks are given around the neck and upper back.

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Patient Reviews

Getting a medial branch block at Harley Street Specialist Hospital

Medial branch blocks are an excellent tool for diagnosing facet joint pain. This minimally invasive procedure is available at our private Harley Street hospital, offering a convenient clinical location for your back pain treatment.

 

Book an appointment with a back pain specialist at our private London hospital for a holistic, patient-centred approach to diagnosing and treating your back pain.

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