Facet Joint Injections for Spine Pain

A Facet Block is an injection of local anesthetic and steroid into a joint in the spine. A Medial Branch Block is similar, but the medication is placed outside the joint space near the nerve that supplies the joint called the medial branch.  While facet joint injections are given directly into the facet joint, medial branch blocks target the medial branch nerves that carry pain signals from the facet joints to the brain.

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Q. What is a facet joint?

A facet joint, also known as a zygapophysial joint, is a small joint situated between the vertebrae of the spine. Each vertebra has two facet joints, one on each side. These joints work together to facilitate spinal movement and bending.

Q. How do facet joint injections work?

Facet joint injections deliver a combination of local anesthetic (such as lidocaine or bupivacaine) to numb the joint and provide immediate pain relief and steroid medication (such as cortisone) to reduce inflammation and swelling, offering longer- term pain relief.

Q. What are some of the conditions treated with facet joint injections?

Some of the conditions treated with facet joint injections include Facet Joint Syndrome which is an irritation or inflammation of the facet joint causing pain and stiffness in the neck or back, Arthritis which is a chronic inflammation affecting the facet joints and spinal stenosis which is a narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to pressure on nerves and pain in the back or legs. Facet joint injections can also serve as a diagnostic tool to identify the source of a patient’s pain. If significant pain relief occurs after the injection, it suggests that the facet joint is the pain source.

Q. How long does it take to feel relief after the injection?

Some individuals experience significant relief, while others may have only partial
improvement.