What Are Facet Injections & How Do They Work?

What Are Facet Joints?

The facets are small joints in the back of the spine that allow the spine to bend and move. They are like small finger joints. There is one facet joint on each side of the spine at every level ( so 2 joints per spine level) and they run up the entire spine. There are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae and 5 lumbar vertebrae, meaning there are over 40 facet joints in the spine that can be injured.

WHIPLASH INJURY:

Like any joint the facet joints can be injured in an accident. Most of the time the facet pain will improve with time and physical therapy. Sometimes, these joints are persistently painful and would benefit from a facet injection. Once the physician determines that a patient has facet pain and which facets are the problem, the patient can get a facet injection. The injection is done outpatient under sedation using X-Ray to get at the specific painful joints.

The medication used is a combination of numbing medicine, like lidocaine, and a small amount of steroid medicine to decrease inflammation for a longer period of time. For those patients that do not want steroid medication or cannot have it, our doctors use homeopathic alternatives that work very well.

The injection is done for 2 reasons: Therapeutic and Diagnostic.

The injection is done for therapeutic reasons, which means that the injection helps relieve pain immediately before the patient goes home.

It is also for diagnostic reasons. If the pain resolves completely, or nearly completely, with the injection, then the cause of the patient’s pain is determined. So if the pain returns, a more advanced procedure, like radiofrequency or laser of the facet joints, can be done for long term relief.

How many facet injections do I need? Generally, if the facet injections are done early in those patients that do not improve with conservative measures, only one injection is needed, followed by home physical therapy. For persistent pain, radiofrequency or laser can be done.

Learn more about Facet Joint Injections here!