Health Organization for Pudendal Education

Hello all...I am new here, and SCARED TO DEATH.

I had my 3rd Pudendal Nerve Block TWO WEEKS AGO TODAY. I was injected with Marcaine and a Steroid. I went completely numb on both sides of my vagina, from the clitoris all the way back to the rectum. (Sorry to be so graphic.) SLOWLY, the right side became "unnumb". HOWEVER, my LEFT side REMAINS numb. And, now it hurts. I am unable to reach the Dr. who performed this block, as he is out sick today. He ASSURED me that it was "impossible" to severe the Pudendal Nerve by doing a nerve block. I am to the point where I am not believing him.

Does ANYONE know if it is POSSIBLE to SEVERE the Pudendal Nerve via a Nerve Block? I KNOW it is "just a needle", but I do NOT know how "thick" the nerve is, and, NO WAY am I still "numb" from the Marcaine. And why does it hurt?

I am BEGGING for help from ANYONE. I cannot, for the life of me, find ANY information on the Web about a "severed pudendal nerve." Only about "neurolgia" I don't think I have that...I think he severed the nerve, and, I am scared to death.

I had this procedure done as I have Interstitial Cystitis, and my Urologist was trying to "better" my situation. Right now, my quality of life is poor, and, this has made it worse.

Please answer and help me if you can...I would be FOREVER grateful.

~Allie

Steroids typically do cause a pain flare; it's NORMAL as well as TEMPORARY. I've been told it's because the material is crystalline in suspension and it is physically irritating to the nerve as it bathes it after the injection. However, some people do get a little relief from it.

The flare should last around 10 days, more or less. You really should have been told to expect a pain flare.

If you had a severed nerve, you would be incontinent both bladder and bowel. The PN controls both of those sphincter muscles.

I have had numbness that comes and goes for years in the area you are speaking of. I don't know if you can sever a nerve, but numbness is something I've lived with so I know it can happen. When my pain would do up my body would eventually just go numb so I no longer felt pain. My genitals and thighs would go numb and I would fall over because my body just didn't respond correctly to my brain.

I freaked out for years so I know how terrified you and and I am so sorry I don't have medical answers for you. Just know that I share your fears and if you do figure out why you are numb please share and I will let you know if the docs. figure out why I'm numb also.

Good luck

Kathy

Allie, I can understand your concern. It's scary when something doesn't go as expected and you have new symptoms to deal with.

I've never heard of a nerve being severed from a nerve block and having seen a cadaver pudendal nerve and the needle that's used for blocks I think it is highly unlikely if not impossible that your nerve was severed by the block. I've heard speculation that the needle can "nick" the nerve and cause irritation and increased pain but most people only have temporary problems after a block -- for about a month. Some people are highly sensitive to the steroids so that could be something else to consider.

Allie,

I had an eerily similar experience with my first nerve block. Parts of my left side stayed numb (yet painful?) for weeks.

Although I still have some small areas of pain I attribute to the block, I have full sensation now.

My bet is you will slowly regain sensation over the next few weeks.

Hang in there.

Lauren

Allie,

My nerve block was done with a CT scanner. But unfortunately, they only scanned me before the block, not when the needle was part way in and then scan again. They could have used an MRI the way they did it. I have had excruciatingly new pain and the PT that I saw said that they may have nicked the nerve.

The reason that I'm telling you this is that my pain increased greatly and it was NEW. I think probably that you are having a typical flare.

I agree with Violet. Severing the nerve would be very difficult with that needle and I believe that you would probably be totally incontinent with other very new symptoms.

Thanks to ALL who took the time to answer...means a lot to me.

Let me say, that I NEVER HAD ANY Pudendal Nerve Pain BEFORE my blocks. I have Interstitial Cystitis, which is an EXTREMELY RARE disease of the bladder. My Urologist ordered the Pudendal Nerve Blocks in an ATTEMPT to alleviate some of my urinary symptoms...he wanted to try to "relax" the Pelvic Floor and help the muscles of the bladder open up more, all of which are affected by the Pudendal Nerve.

I had 2 blocks done, and I had NO side effects. My LAST block, on 9/13 left me COMPLETELY numb on the left side of my vagina for two weeks, with pain beginning when first posted my message.

Does ANYONE know, IF HE DID IN FACT "HIT" the Nerve, if my PAIN will ever go away? I SUFFER SO MUCH with my Interstitial Cystitis...there is NO CURE, and VERY VERY FEW treatment options, ALL of which I have failed at. To KNOW I could POSSIBLY have yet ANOTHER "incurable, hard to treat" condition is just MORE than I can bear.

Thanks SO VERY MUCH in advance...I SO APPRECIATE ANYONE'S HELP...

~Allie

Hi Allie,

My theory is that my nerve was nicked on my left side during my block, thus causing all I mentioned above. Unfortunately, I still have areas of new pain that I did not have before my blocks. I'm not disabled by these new areas, but they do exist. I had a really rough few weeks after the injections, but the numbness did eventually go away, and the pain decreased to a more tolerable level.

Nerves take a long time to heal, and no one can say if your new pain is permanent or not. I am so very sorry you're going through this. Please know that I am not a medical professional, and my thoughts are simply that--just my thoughts.

Lauren

I got some new pain as a result of an unguided injection. It was relieved by surgery, though it took almost a year for it to all melt away. The original and strongest pain went away quickly.

Allie, if the nerve was nicked, peripheral nerves do heal so there is a good chance it will heal but it takes time. In the meantime it might be important to use ice and pain medications so your brain and spinal cord to not get into a "cycle of pain" that is hard to break.