Who Can Benefit From Facet Joint Injections?

More than 86 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain. For those that wish to live a pain free life there are options available that can help to get rid of the pain. Facet joint injections is one pain management treatment options for people who suffer from arthritis, back injuries or any type of mechanical stress of the back. These blocks can be used on the Cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions. For individuals that suffer from back pain some of the treatment options are not appealing such as surgical options and narcotic pain medications both of which cause additional problems. Narcotic pain medications can lead to addiction. Surgical options for treating back pain can make the original problem worse or can even lead to more damage if the surgery is not done correctly.

What are Fact Joint Injections?

Facet joint injections use a cortisone type of medication that is injection into the area of the joint that is causing the pain or discomfort. By injecting this medication it can release cortisone based medication into the space that will reduce inflammation and often times eradicate the pain in that area. The injection site is anesthetized first to numb the area and then the injection is given. Most state that this is not painful but rather uncomfortable. The procedure does not last long and can be done in an outpatient setting. Most people can resume their normal activities within hours of the injections.

Risks Involved

AS with any form of medical treatment consult with a medical professional who has experience before getting any treatment. There are complications that could occur as a result of the injection such as allergic reaction to the injection medication or the dye used in the contrast for the X-ray, infection at the site or in extremely rare cases paralysis. The number of cases of patients that have complications is very small compared to those that benefit from this method of treatment. Other less severe complications involve bleeding at the site, pain at the injection site and mild discomfort. If you are one of the many people who suffer from chronic pain get informed about the various treatment options and discuss 
Facet Joint Injection with your practitioner to see if they feel that you are a candidate for this treatment.