What are facet injections?

Facet injections are injections of medications into the actual facet joints. There are many other technical names for facet joints. A facet joint injection serves several purposes. First, by placing numbing medicine into the joint, the amount of immediate pain relief you experience will help confirm or deny the joint as a source of your pain. That is, if you obtain complete relief of your main pain while the facet joints are numb, then these joints are likely your pain source. Furthermore, time-release cortisone will be injected into these joints to reduce any presumed inflammation, which can, on many occasions, provide long-term pain relief. How is it done? Local anesthetic is given, a special needle is inserted into the area around the spinal nerve space of the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine. Fluoroscopy is used to confirm proper placement of the needle. An anesthetic and steroid are then injected into the site.

What are Facet Joints?

Facet Joints are small joints at each segment of the spine that provide stability and help guide motion. Facet joints can become painful due to arthritis, back injury, or mechanical stress. A facet joint injection delivers a steroid medication which anesthetizes the joints and blocks the pain.

Difference Between Facet Injections and Epidural Injections

Facet injections are used or injected at the perceived source of the pain. This is generally at a specific joint. Facet injections are often used to treat back and neck pain.

Epidural injections are used to treat the pain associated with bulging discs or herniated dics that leads to nerve related pain. This injection is injected around the nerve area specifically. This procedure is often used to treat sciatica or other referenced pain associated with the actual nerve.

Neither of these procedures actual cure the cause of the pain. They are often used in conjuction with a pain treatment plan.