Are Nerve Blocks Safe?
Sep 25, 2025
Nerve block injections offer a quick and minimally invasive way to relieve several types of nerve-related pain, such as migraines and post-surgical discomfort. They often start working within minutes and can make it easier to move and live comfortably.
Still, how safe are nerve blocks?
At the Migraine & Headache Center of Florida in Altamonte Springs, board-certified headache specialist Bernadette Nazario-Lopez, MD, PharmD, frequently recommends nerve blocks. Read on to learn what they are, whether they’re safe, and potential side effects.
A nerve block is a treatment where medication is injected near a nerve or group of nerves to provide lasting pain relief.
Nerves facilitate communication throughout your body by sending electrical signals between different areas and your brain. Your brain then uses that information to control movements and various bodily functions, such as breathing, digestion, and sweating.
When nerves are injured or damaged, they emit pain signals. In some cases, these signals persist despite rest, over-the-counter pain medication, or other conservative treatments. When this happens, a nerve block may be recommended to provide long-term relief.
Nerve blocks provide a quick, non-surgical way to manage chronic pain from injuries, surgery, nerve damage, and certain headache disorders. At the Migraine & Headache Center of Florida, we use them to treat migraines, cluster headaches, tension headaches, and occipital neuralgia.
These injections offer several benefits, including:
While nerve block pain relief isn’t permanent, many people with migraine headaches, in particular, report improvements that last for weeks, and in some cases, months.
Nerve blocks are considered safe and usually well-tolerated, especially when used to treat headaches and other related pain conditions.
Many people experience relief within a few minutes or hours, and negative side effects are rare. Mild redness, swelling, or bruising at the injection site can occur, but these issues typically improve within a few days.
Our team is trained in safe, effective administration, which greatly reduces the risk of nerve injury and other serious side effects. While severe complications like allergic reactions and prolonged numbness can occur, they’re rare and more likely to occur when the procedure is performed by an untrained provider.
During your initial consultation, let us know if you have a history of clotting disorders, allergies to anesthetic medications, or an active infection near the injection site. These factors can all increase the risk of complications, and she may recommend an alternative treatment in that case.
If we determine you’re a candidate for a nerve block, follow our preparation instructions carefully and remain still while your injections are administered.
After treatment, monitor the injection site(s) for abnormal swelling or other unusual side effects and report them immediately if they occur.
Chronic headaches can sap your energy and negatively affect your quality of life. If your symptoms don’t improve with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter pain medication, nerve block injections may be able to help.
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