Treatment of Low Back Pain Elicited by Middle Cluneal Neuralgia: Case Report and Literature Review of Interventional Treatments

Cluneal neuralgia is increasingly becoming recognized as an etiology of low back pain. The majority of the literature on cluneal nerve interventions describes modalities targeting the superior cluneal nerves with little emphasis on the middle cluneal nerves. A 21-year-old woman with a medical history of congenital myelomeningocele with tethered cord at L5-S1, status post 3 decompressive releases, presented to the clinic with chronic low back pain and associated sacroiliac paresthesia. Over 11 months, she underwent 7 ultrasound-guided bilateral middle cluneal nerve blocks, without corticosteroid, resulting in significant, immediate pain relief sustained for 4 to 6 weeks. A nerve block with local anesthetic has proven to be therapeutic for middle cluneal neuralgia, but with varying long-term efficacy. The use of radiofrequency ablation, peripheral nerve stimulation, regenerative medicine, and alcohol neurolysis have shown promise as long-term therapeutic options and as a substitute for invasive surgical release.