Facet Joint Injections
Facet injections are a minimally invasive treatment option for managing pain caused by inflamed facet joints in the neck and back. Facet joint pain is often related to spinal stenosis, sciatica or arthritis and is characterized by neck, arm, low back or leg pain. Facet joint pain occurs when one or more of the facet joints in your neck or back become irritated and swollen.
What is Facet Joint?
Each vertebra has four facet joints that connect it to the vertebrae above and below. The injection may also be used as a diagnostic test to determine if facet joint inflammation is the source of a patient’s pain.
Facet Joint Injections Procedure
Medicine is injected into the facet joint space during a facet joint injection procedure. Pain relief duration varies depending on the medications injected. Medication can be a combination of a long-lasting steroid and a local anesthetic. The facet joint injection procedure is usually performed as a test injection and can provide prolonged or several hours of pain relief. The steroid reduces inflammation and can relieve pain for a few days to a few years. This procedure can be repeated up to three times a year for those who experienced successful but short-term pain relief.