Skip to main content

Motionis

Diagnostic Injections

Diagnostic Injections

Identifying the Source of Pain Before Choosing Treatment

Diagnostic injections are used to help identify the specific source of pain before deciding on longer-term treatment. By temporarily targeting suspected pain generators, these injections provide valuable information that guides precise, effective, and non-surgical care.

At Motionis Medicine, diagnostic injections are part of a physician-led, methodical approach to pain management—focused on understanding why pain is occurring before deciding how to treat it.

Book an Appointment
Precision in Diagnosis

Why Diagnosis Matters in Pain Management

Musculoskeletal and spine pain often involve multiple overlapping structures. Imaging studies such as MRI or X-ray may show abnormalities, but those findings do not always correlate with symptoms.

Treating pain without clearly identifying its source can lead to:

Incomplete or short-lived relief

Unnecessary or repeated procedures

Delayed recovery

Diagnostic injections help narrow down the true pain generator, allowing treatment decisions to be based on functional response—not assumptions.

Precision Testing

What Are Diagnostic Injections?

Diagnostic injections are controlled, image-guided tests designed to temporarily affect a specific joint, nerve, or structure suspected of causing pain.

Key points patients should understand:

Expectation

Temporary relief is expected and intentional

Goal

The goal is information, not long-term pain control

Relief Pattern

The pattern and degree of relief matter more than duration

Value

A diagnostic injection that wears off quickly can still be highly valuable if it clarifies the source of pain.

Clinical Application

How Diagnostic Injections Are Used

Diagnostic injections are typically considered when:

  • Symptoms overlap between multiple potential pain sources
  • Imaging findings do not clearly explain pain patterns
  • Prior treatments have provided inconsistent results

After the injection, patients are asked to carefully observe:

  • How much pain relief occurs
  • Where relief is felt
  • How movement or function changes

This response helps guide next steps in care, whether that involves targeted interventional treatment, rehabilitation, or alternative non-surgical options.

Types of Injections

Common Types of Diagnostic Injections

Diagnostic injections may include:

Medial Branch Blocks

Used to determine whether facet joints are contributing to spinal pain.

Nerve Blocks

Help evaluate whether a specific nerve pathway is responsible for symptoms.

Facet Joint Injections

May be used diagnostically when joint-mediated pain is suspected.

SI Joint Injections

Assist in confirming sacroiliac joint involvement, which can mimic spine or hip pain.

Each type is selected based on clinical examination and symptom presentation.

Expert Care

Physician-Led Evaluation

Dr. Tanuj Palvia, MD

All diagnostic injections at Motionis Medicine are performed by Dr. Tanuj Palvia, MD, a board-certified interventional pain medicine physician.

Dr. Palvia personally evaluates each patient, determines when diagnostic injections are appropriate, and integrates results into a personalised treatment plan focused on accuracy, safety, and long-term outcomes.

Learn more
RELATED TREATMENTS

Common Follow-up & Combined Therapies

Depending on diagnosis and response, SI joint injections may be combined with or followed by:

Epidural Steroid Injection

Facet Joint Injection

Medial Branch Block

Radiofrequency Ablation

Trigger Point Injection

Schedule an Evaluation

If pain has been difficult to pinpoint or prior treatments have not provided lasting relief, a comprehensive evaluation—including diagnostic injections when appropriate—can help clarify the next steps.

Book an Appointment