Care After Cervical/Thoracic/Lumbar/Sacral/Genicular Medial Branch Block

You had an injection to help diagnose the cause and site of your pain.

You may feel sore at the injection site for the next 2-4 days. For the first 24 hours, you may apply ice to the site for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off to decrease pain. After 24 hours, you may use heat if needed.

Pain

It is important that you rate your pain often today.

• Rate it every 15 minutes the first hour and then once per hour for the next 8 hours.

• Do not nap today because you may miss rating your pain. You would then need to repeat the injection.

• Rate your pain during daily activities that normally cause you pain. If you have less or no pain while sitting or lying down, do not rate your pain while in this position.

• Rate only the pain that was treated today on this log. Do not rate pain at another place on your body.

• Do not rate injection site pain. Use an ice pack over the bandage if it is hard to tell the difference.

• If you had injections on both the right and left side, rate each side separately if they feel different.

• After the first day, rate your pain once a day for a total of 2 weeks.
  

It is very important you fill out the pain log completely and keep a copy at home. You may have to repeat injections before moving on.

You may resume taking your medicines after the procedure. But do not take pain medicine during the first 8 hours. Please see your After-Visit Summary for instructions.

You may feel weak for the next 3-5 hours. Be careful walking or using your arms. No baths or soaking of the site for 24 hours. Taking a shower is okay.

Signs of Infection

• Fever over 100.4° F by mouth for 2 readings taken 4 hours apart.

• Increased redness, swelling around the site.

• Any drainage from the site.
  

Who to Call

The day of the procedure, for any problems or concerns call Madison Surgery Center at 608-287-2200 between 6:00am- 5:00pm.

After hours if it is an emergency, please visit your closest emergency room.

If it is not an emergency, please contact the ordering provider’s clinic or the provider’s clinic that performed the procedure. Tell the receptionist you had a procedure that day and need to see your doctor.

To discuss the next steps in your plan of care, contact the provider that ordered your procedure.