Most non-surgical pain treatments, such as nerve blocks, epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and PRP, are done as a day-care procedure. You come in, have the procedure under local anaesthetic with image guidance, rest for a short while, and go home the same day, usually after two to four hours at the clinic. There’s no hospital stay. Your first consultation comes before this: it’s focused on finding the cause of your pain, reviewing your reports and planning treatment, and the procedure itself is often booked for a separate visit.
If you’ve been advised a pain procedure, you probably have practical questions. How long will it take? Do I need to be admitted? Can I go home alone? What should I bring? This guide walks you through the whole journey, from your first consultation to your first week at home.
What Does Day-Care Mean for a Pain Procedure?
“Day-care” means you’re admitted, treated and discharged on the same day, without staying overnight. For pain procedures, it’s usually even simpler than day-care surgery, because most are done under local anaesthetic rather than general anaesthesia.
| OPD consultation | Day-care procedure | Inpatient (IPD) hospital stay | |
| What happens | Assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning | A targeted procedure, such as an injection, nerve block or RFA | Surgery or treatment that needs monitoring overnight or longer |
| Anaesthesia | None | Usually local anaesthetic, sometimes light sedation | Often general anaesthesia |
| Time at the clinic | About 30 to 60 minutes | Usually 2 to 4 hours in total | One or more nights |
| Going home | Straight after | Same day, after a short rest | After discharge, days later |
| Recovery | Not applicable | Usually a day or two of taking it easy | Often weeks |
Your First Consultation: What Happens?
The first visit is about understanding your pain, not rushing into a procedure. Here’s what usually happens.
1. A detailed pain history
Your pain specialist will ask:
- Where the pain is, and whether it spreads to your arm or leg
- When it started and what triggered it
- What it feels like: dull, sharp, burning or tingling
- How strong it is, on a scale of 0 to 10
- What makes it better or worse
- What you’ve already tried, including medicines, physiotherapy and injections
- How it affects your sleep, work and daily life
Keeping a pain diary for a week or two before your visit makes these questions much easier to answer.
2. A physical examination
The doctor checks your posture, movement, strength, reflexes and the specific spots that are tender. Simple movement tests often show which joint, nerve or muscle is the source of the pain.
3. Reviewing your reports
Your specialist will go through your X-rays, MRI, CT scans and blood tests. If your reports are old or don’t match your symptoms, new tests may be suggested.
4. Setting realistic goals
Good pain care is about getting back to the things that matter to you, not just a lower pain score. Your goals might be walking for 30 minutes, climbing stairs, sleeping through the night or returning to work.
5. Your treatment plan
Based on the diagnosis, your doctor will explain the options. These might include physiotherapy, medicines, lifestyle changes or a targeted procedure. If a procedure is suggested, they’ll explain what it involves, the likely benefits and risks, and how many sittings you may need.
A first consultation usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. If your doctor suspects a red flag, such as nerve compression with weakness, they may also refer you for urgent tests. Learn about the red flags in back pain.
What Should You Bring to Your First Consultation?
Use this checklist:
- All your medical reports: MRI, X-ray and CT reports, and the actual scan images or films, not just the written report
- A list of every medicine you take, with doses, including painkillers, blood thinners, diabetes medicines and supplements
- Records of previous injections or surgeries, including dates and what was done
- Your pain diary, if you’ve kept one
- A photo ID and your health insurance details
- A list of questions you want to ask
- A family member, if you’d like support or help remembering what was discussed
Questions to Ask at Your First Consultation
- What’s causing my pain, and how sure are we of the diagnosis?
- What are my options besides painkillers?
- Why are you recommending this particular treatment?
- What are the realistic benefits and risks?
- How long until I feel better, and how many sessions might I need?
- What happens if this treatment doesn’t work?
- Will it be a day-care procedure, or will I need to stay?
- Is it covered by my health insurance?
For more guidance, read how to choose the right pain specialist near you.
Can the Procedure Be Done on the Same Day as the Consultation?
Sometimes, but not always. A simple injection may occasionally be done on the same day if the diagnosis is clear and you’re prepared. More often, the procedure is booked for a separate visit, because:
- Your doctor may want new scans or blood tests first
- Some medicines, such as blood thinners, may need to be paused in advance under medical advice
- You may need to arrange someone to take you home
- Some treatments, such as RFA, start with a diagnostic nerve block on a separate day to confirm the source of the pain
How Should You Prepare Before Procedure Day?
Your clinic will give you instructions. In general:
- Blood thinners: if you take aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or a newer anticoagulant, tell your doctor as early as possible. Never stop them on your own; only your doctor can advise whether and when to pause them.
- Diabetes medicines: ask how to adjust them on the day, especially if you’ve been asked to fast, as steroid injections can raise blood sugar for a few days.
- Fasting: for many procedures done under local anaesthetic, you can eat a light meal. If you’re having sedation, you’ll usually be asked to avoid food for about six hours beforehand. Follow your clinic’s exact advice.
- Regular medicines: keep taking blood pressure and other routine medicines with a sip of water unless told otherwise.
- Infection or fever: let the clinic know if you’re unwell, have a fever or are on antibiotics. The procedure may need to be postponed.
- Pregnancy: tell the team if you’re pregnant or might be, as X-ray guidance may need to be avoided.
- Escort: arrange for a family member or friend to take you home.
What Happens on Procedure Day? Step by Step
Here’s what a typical day-care procedure looks like:
- Arrival and check-in: you register at reception. Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early.
- Pre-procedure checks: a nurse checks your blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar if you have diabetes, and confirms your medicines and allergies.
- Consent: your doctor explains the procedure again, answers any last questions and asks you to sign a consent form.
- Changing: you may be asked to change into a gown, depending on the area being treated.
- In the procedure room: you lie on your stomach, side or back. The skin is cleaned, and the area is numbed with a local anaesthetic.
- The procedure: using X-ray (C-arm) or ultrasound guidance, the doctor places a fine needle precisely and delivers the treatment. Most procedures take 15 to 45 minutes. You’ll be awake, and you can tell the doctor what you’re feeling throughout.
- Recovery: you rest for 30 to 60 minutes while the team checks your blood pressure and how you feel. If you’ve had sedation, this may take a little longer.
- Discharge: once you’re comfortable, can walk safely and have been given your aftercare instructions, you go home.
Wondering what the procedure will feel like? Read what to expect during a nerve block.
How Long Will You Be at the Clinic?
| Stage | Typical time |
| Check-in and paperwork | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Pre-procedure checks and consent | 15 to 30 minutes |
| The procedure itself | 15 to 45 minutes |
| Rest and observation | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Total visit | About 2 to 4 hours |
Times vary depending on the procedure, whether sedation is used and how busy the clinic is that day. It’s a good idea to keep the rest of the day free.
What Should You Wear and Bring on Procedure Day?
- Loose, comfortable clothes that are easy to change out of
- Slip-on shoes or chappals
- Your medicine list and any medicines you need to take during the day
- Your reports and scan images
- A photo ID and insurance documents
- A water bottle and a light snack for after the procedure
- Your phone charger and something to read, in case there’s a wait
- Leave jewellery and valuables at home
Can You Go Home Alone After a Pain Procedure?
It’s best not to. You should have someone take you home, especially if:
- You’ve had sedation
- An arm or leg feels numb or heavy from the local anaesthetic
- You’ve had a spinal procedure
Don’t drive for the rest of the day. The local anaesthetic can affect how your leg or arm responds, even if you feel fine. A family member, driver or cab is the safest option.
What Happens After You Go Home?
Procedure day (day 0)
- Rest and avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity.
- Numbness may last a few hours.
- Keep the small dressing dry and avoid hot baths.
- An ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes can ease soreness.
Days 1 and 2
- Mild soreness or a short flare of your usual pain is normal.
- You can gradually return to light activities.
- Many people with desk jobs return to work within a day or two; check with your doctor if your work is physical.
The first week and beyond
- Relief builds gradually: a few days for steroid injections, one to three weeks for RFA, and several weeks for PRP.
- Start or continue your physiotherapy plan when your doctor advises. Read about physiotherapy for chronic pain.
- Note your pain levels each day, so you can share how you’re responding at your follow-up.
Your follow-up
Your care team will usually check in by phone or with a follow-up visit to review how you’re doing and plan the next steps.
When Should You Call Your Doctor?
Contact your doctor or seek urgent care if you notice:
- Fever or chills
- Redness, swelling or discharge at the injection site
- A severe headache that gets worse when you sit or stand
- New or increasing weakness, or numbness lasting more than 24 hours
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Severe pain that keeps getting worse
Why Choose a Day-Care Procedure Over a Hospital Stay?
A day-care procedure offers several advantages:
- Lower costs: no room, nursing or overnight charges
- Recovery at home: in familiar surroundings, with your family
- Lower risk of hospital-acquired infections
- Back to routine sooner: most people resume light activities within a day or two
- Less anxiety: no admission process or long stays
Many health insurance policies in India cover day-care procedures. Check your policy or ask the clinic’s team to help you with the details.
Still worried about surgery? Read about when slipped discs need surgery and when they don’t.
Which Pain Procedures Are Done as Day-Care?
Most non-surgical, image-guided pain procedures are done as day-care, including:
- Nerve root blocks and other nerve blocks
- Epidural steroid injections
- Facet joint and SI joint injections
- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Read our RFA patient guide
- PRP therapy for joints and tendons
- Hyaluronic acid injections for knee arthritis
- Ozone injections for selected disc problems
For a wider overview, see the top non-surgical treatments for chronic pain.
Your Pain Procedure Day at Nivaan
At Nivaan, your journey starts with a detailed consultation with one of our pain specialists, who will find the root cause of your pain before recommending any treatment. If a procedure is right for you, it’s done as a day-care procedure under image guidance, and you’ll go home the same day. A care team supports you before and after, with physiotherapy and follow-up to help your results last.
Ready for your first consultation? Book an appointment with a Nivaan pain specialist.