I am 73 with spinal arthritis and stenosis. I had two nerve blocks. I had an anesthesiologist at both procedures. BUT, they aren't giving real anesthesia, only a sedative, which does NOT block pain. It paralyzes you and makes you jittery and dizzy. I was wide awake for all the stabbing and there was plenty of screaming. They wouldn't stop and I couldn't speak or move. Get an advocate to go in the procedure with you and give them temporary health care power of attorney so they can make the doctor stop if you are in too much distress. If you do go through with the procedure, the Percocet is probably a really good idea. Get a second and third opinion from different doctors AND from an anesthesiologist who is qualified as a pain intervention specialist. Be firm and ask detailed questions. Have a witness with you during the discussion. If the doctors make fun of you for having low pain tolerance or argue that no one needs pain management for a spine shot (yes, they did that to me more than once), walk out and find another doctor. I went ahead with the procedure and I really regretted it. If they give you the usual platitude about how it's a "minor" procedure, that just means it's easier for them. You have a right to pain management, so they should make an extra effort if they are conscientious physicians. If they give you the usual platitude about the sedative making you "relaxed and comfortable" don't fall for it. It wipes your memory if they give you enough. It didn't work for me. You don't know if it will work for you. Get them to commit to checking to see if the sedative is working BEFORE they start the injections. They didn't bother to for me even though I had scheduled a special appointment a week earlier to talk to them about pain and my history of adverse medication reactions. They will inject you several times, so make them explain what they are willing to do if you are in too much pain, and make it clear to them that they must stop if you have a bad experience. Everyone is different, and every doctor is not equally skilled. Those spine injections are tricky to get right. You can't afford some doc in a hurry or too bored to care. Be careful. Good luck. You will certainly hear from people who found the whole experience simple and painless. I am glad for them, but there are more than a few people whose experiences are very different. You only need to take care of yourself. Do what you need to do if you have concerns. Only you know your history. If a doctor is close-minded, walk out.