“What medication is used in a nerve block?”

They are called local anesthetics, they can be short-acting, last about 4-6 hrs, example Lidocaine; medium-acting last 12-16 hrs, example Ropivacaine; long-acting last up to 24hrs, example Bupivacaine.

Usually local anesthetic alone or in combination with other drugs to prolong the block.

Nerve blocks are performed with local anesthetics. When a local anesthetic is injected near a nerve, the local anesthetic is absorbed through the nerve membrane. The resultant interruption of Sodium channel activity by the local anesthetic causes the nerve to temporarily cease to function. If the nerve is a sensory nerve, the result is numbness in the area of the body that nerve is travelling from. If the nerve is a motor nerve, the nerve cannot conduct an impulse with resultant motor activity. If the nerve has both motor and sensory functions, there will be numbness and motor inactivity in the area of the body that nerve is travelling to and from.

Nerve Block is a generic term for many different but usually related procedures. The medication used can vary, but always involves an anesthetic. Depending on the purpose of the block, your doctor may use one particular anesthetic over another. A common anesthetic used in nerve blocks is Lidocaine. It temporarily "blocks the nerve" from conducting a signal. For therapeutic purposes, the treatment can also include a type of steroid. There are also many steroids to choose from depending on the location of the block and the risk/benefit profile for the patient.

Nerve blocks are primarily done with local anesthetics such as lidocaine and bupivacaine. However, other classes of medications such as epinephrine, steroids, or narcotics are often added to prolong or intensify nerve blocks.

Usually we use xylocaine and bupivacaine.