Investigating back pain: What to expect from facet joint injection

Patient experiencing chronic back pain may undergo facet joint injection, both as an investigatory and potentially therapeutic procedure. To explain more, we invited esteemed consultant in sports medicine and regenerative orthopaedics Dr Ralph Rogers, who shares his expert insight on how facet joint injections are carried out and what to expect from the procedure.

What are facet joints?

Facet joint injections may be performed to investigate the cause of back pain. The facet joints are small joints, located in the back of the spine, which connect the vertebrae. To determine whether the facet joints are the cause of your back pain, they are numbed by injection. When numbed, the facet joints will not be able transfer pain sensations to the brain, and therefore, you will feel relief from your chronic pain if these joints are behind it.

How is the procedure performed?

The patient lies on their stomach and the skin of the back is cleansed with antiseptic solution. Local anaesthetic is also injected to numb the area. Using X-ray guidance, a small needle is inserted to target and numb the facet joints with anaesthetic and a steroid. The injection takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Will the injection hurt?

Although the needle insertion can cause some discomfort, this is minimised by numbing the skin in this area with a local anaesthetic.
 

How long does the effect last?

The effect might last for a few months or much longer. If your symptoms recur, other options which provide extended pain relief are available, such a radiofrequency neurotomy (Cooled RF).

What are the next steps after the injection?

At your follow up appointment, you will discuss how effective the facet joint injective was in relieving your pain symptoms. If it was not successful, other treatment options will be discussed.

What are the risks and side effects?

Fortunately, serious side effects and complications are rare. The most common side effect of the procedure is pain in the area of the injection which can occur for several days following treatment. The other complications are infection, bleeding and nerve injury; however, these risks are minimised by the use of sterile techniques and fluoroscopy X-ray needle guidance.




If you are suffering with back pain and wish to schedule a consultation with Dr Rogers, you can do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile.