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Lumbosacral Radicular Pain

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Abstract

Lumbosacral radicular pain is a challenging diagnosis, as numerous anatomical abnormalities including disc herniation and lumbar stenosis may be the source with symptoms similar to other low back pain maladies. If imaging is warranted, an MRI is the diagnostic modality of choice, while selective nerve root blocks have been practiced as the gold standard of diagnosis, especially useful in patients with negative findings on radiography but with clinical signs of nerve root irritation. Interventional options such as selective nerve root blocks or transforaminal epidural injections of a mixture of steroid and local anesthetic under fluoroscopic guidance may provide therapeutic benefit. By focusing on the clinical symptoms and utilizing a proper diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm, in this chapter we will explore the approaches a pain clinician may apply and treat this patient population in an effective and safe manner.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pain Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Kent H. Nouri MD & Salahadin Abdi MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Kent H. Nouri MD
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  2. Salahadin Abdi MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Salahadin Abdi MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Anesthesiology President-elect, American Academy of Pain Medicine, Director, Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Program, Departments of Pain Management and Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Anesthesiology Institute and Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Jianguo Cheng

  2. Chairman, Department Pain Management, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Richard W. Rosenquist

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Nouri, K.H., Abdi, S. (2018). Lumbosacral Radicular Pain. In: Cheng, J., Rosenquist, R. (eds) Fundamentals of Pain Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64922-1_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64922-1_22

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-64920-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64922-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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