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Cervical Medial Branch Blocks in Scottsdale, AZ

If you’ve been dealing with constant neck pain, stiffness, headaches, or pain that spreads to your shoulders or arms, daily life can feel overwhelming. You may have already tried rest, therapy, or medication, but the pain keeps coming back. That’s often because the real cause hasn’t been found.

At Comprehensive Pain Management in Scottsdale, we offer cervical medial branch blocks which is a special test to help find out what’s really causing your neck pain and what treatment might work best for you.

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What are Cervical Medial Branch Blocks?

A cervical medial branch block is a small injection used to figure out if your neck pain is coming from the facet joints, the small joints in your neck that help it move. These joints are connected to tiny nerves called medial branch nerves. If the joints are irritated or inflamed, the nerves send pain signals to your brain.

In this procedure, we place numbing medicine near those nerves. If your pain goes away right after, it shows the facet joints are the problem. This also tells us if other treatments, like radiofrequency ablation, might help you feel better for longer.

Who Should Consider This Test?

You might be a good fit for this procedure if:

  • You’ve had neck pain for more than 3 months
  • Your pain gets worse when you turn or tilt your head
  • You had a neck injury like whiplash
  • You get headaches that seem to start in your neck
  • Other treatments haven’t worked well

Conditions This Test Helps With

If you have ongoing neck pain, this test can help find the exact cause. Below are some conditions this test helps identify:

  • Facet joint pain in the neck
  • Long-lasting neck stiffness
  • Neck pain from whiplash
  • Headaches that come from the neck
  • Arthritis or disc problems
  • Neck pain after an accident

Benefits of Cervical Medial Branch Blocks in Scottsdale

This test is quick, low-risk, and helps guide the right treatment. It:

  • Pinpoints the exact source of pain
  • Doesn’t require surgery or heavy sedation
  • Gives results the same day
  • Can help you avoid treatments you don’t need
  • Helps create a better long-term plan for relief

How the Procedure Works

Before your appointment, we might ask you to stop eating a few hours before or hold certain medications. Wear loose clothing and have someone available to drive you home if needed. Here’s what happens at your visit:

  1. Dr. KellerShabrokh cleans and numbs the skin
  2. He uses an imaging tool to guide the needle
  3. He injects a small amount of numbing medicine near the medial branch nerves
  4. He may treat one or more joints depending on your symptoms
  5. You’ll be asked about pain relief shortly after the procedure

Recovery and Aftercare Tips

Most people feel fine within a day. Pain relief often starts within minutes and can last several hours. Here’s what to do afterward:

  • Rest your neck for the rest of the day
  • Don’t do any heavy lifting or hard activity for 24 hours
  • Use an ice pack if your neck feels sore
  • Keep track of how much pain relief you felt
  • Follow all instructions from your provider

Schedule Your Neck Pain Evaluation in Scottsdale

If you’re ready for real answers and relief, we’re here to help. At Comprehensive Pain Management, Dr. James KellerShabrokh, D.O., and our expert team focus on finding the true cause of your pain and creating a treatment plan that works.

We proudly serve the Scottsdale community with a trusted 4.9-star Google rating for care and results. You can get this procedure done at our Scottsdale office on 8841 East Bell Road.

Getting the right diagnosis can change everything. Let us help you take the next step.

FAQs

Mild soreness, slight bleeding, or rare infection.

Yes, it’s a low-risk, outpatient procedure.

We’ll give you clear instructions before your appointment.

Since this is a test, pain relief is usually short-term and takes hours to a day.

Dr. James KellerShabrokh

Dr. James KellerShabrokh is a board-certified specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, focusing on spine, joint, muscle, and nerve injuries. He combines rehabilitative care, minimally invasive procedures, and preventive strategies to restore function, improve mobility, and provide long-term pain relief.