Your hypogastric plexus is a bundle of nerves near the base of your spinal cord. It consists of a network of interconnecting, radiating nerve fibers containing various pain points typically related to malignancy. Blocking these nerves from pain can prevent you from feeling discomfort in your lower back and hips. When appropriate, they recommend a hypogastric plexus block injection that can result in effective pain relief for treating cancer pain and pelvic area pain.
Hypogastric Plexus Block Procedure Benefits
Hypogastric plexus blocks are a minimally invasive procedure that:
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- Can relieve pain originating in your bladder, descending colon, ovaries, perineum, prostate, rectum, testicles, urethra, uterus, vagina, and vulva.
- They are guided by fluoroscopy — a viewing instrument that uses real-time X-rays — to inject a solution to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Hypogastric plexus blocks are a fast-acting, minimally invasive procedure that is effective at treating chronic pelvic pain.
- With this nerve plexus block, some patients will experience pain relief for weeks, while others will reduce pain for several years.
What Are the Risks?
While the risks of complication from the procedure are very low, there could be bruising or soreness at the injection site. Serious complications, such as infection, nerve damage, and bleeding, are uncommon. Steroid medication side effects are rare but can include:
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- Flushed face
- Water retention
- Increased appetite or heart rate
- Abdominal cramping or bloating
- Hiccups
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Slight fever
Why Choose PMIR Medical Center?
At PMIR Medical Center, our team of medically trained pain management specialists understands your pain and the most effective way to treat it. We use standards of excellence, state-of-the-art equipment, and innovative procedures to develop customized integrative treatment plans to help you achieve long-term, sustainable pain relief. To learn more about how we can help you return to a pain-free, productive lifestyle, schedule an appointment with a PMIR physician today.
