Nerve and joint blocks

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Local anaesthetic can be injected around the nerves, or into the joints thus deadening pain sensation from particular areas in the limbs (or elsewhere). If a previously lame horse trots up sound after a particular block, this indicates that the source of the pain was affected by that block, allowing identification of the area that was causing the horse pain. This type of investigation works on a ‘trial and error’ basis if there are no obvious external signs of an injury, and several nerve or joint blocks may need to be done before the pain source is identified.