Dr Kevin Markham, Consultant Anaesthetist and Director of the Pain Management Service at Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust in Surrey, writes that:

Invasive forms of pain management [for scoliosis-related pain] are directed at specific anatomical structures and usually involve the introduction of fine X-ray-guided needles to the anatomical source of pain and the subsequent injection of a local anaesthetic and steroid. This has been proven to be of considerable assistance in the alleviation of pain, particularly in specific joint dysfunctions such as the inflammation of the costo-vertebral joints and facet joints.

(Backbone, The Scoliosis Association, London, September 1995, p12)