What Are Cervical, Thoracic & Lumbar Facet Joint Injections
Facet injections are given to areas in the spine to treat pain. Cervical facet joint injections are given in the area of the neck. Thoracic injections are given in the area of the spine in the middle of the back, while lumbar injections are given in the lower back. Florida Surgery Consultants are pleased to offer pain-relieving facet joint pain treatment to our patients in the Palm Harbor area.
About the Spine
The spine, or spinal column helps support the body and is made up of bones called vertebrae. Humans are born with 33 of them, though by the time you’re an adult some of the bones have fused together. There are seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae, five fused sacral vertebrae and four fused vertebrae in the tailbone. The facet joints are found on each side at the back of a vertebrae and help the spine move. Each joint has a cartilage surface and is contained in a capsule filled with a lubricating synovial fluid. Injury, stress or arthritis in the spine can cause the facet joints to become irritated and painful.
Facet Injections
To ease the pain, the doctor injects an amount of painkiller, sometimes mixed with a slow-acting corticosteroid into the facet joint. Though this facet joint pain treatment eases the pain and inflammation, the injection has a larger goal than simple pain relief. When you’re more comfortable, it’s easier for you to engage in the physical therapy that can help heal your back injury or whatever condition is causing the pain. Facet injections are also diagnostic tools. They help the doctor determine if the facet joint is in fact causing your pain. If your pain isn’t relieved, that probably means your back problem is due to somethings else.
Facet Joint Pain
The pain of an inflamed facet joint is felt in different areas of the body. If the facet joint is in the neck, the pain is felt there or in the head, arm or shoulder. If the thoracic facet joint is involved, you’ll feel pain in the upper back or your chest. You can also feel pain in your arm, though this is unusual. If the lumbar facet joints are involved, the pain is felt in your lower back, your buttocks, your hip or your leg.
Facet Joint Pain Treatment
Facet joint pain treatment is simple and is an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home shortly after it’s finished. Our doctors use fluoroscopy to guide the needle into your spine. A fluoroscopy is a moving X-ray that shows them how and where the needle is being placed. The goal here is to avoid injuring your nerves or other tissue. You probably won’t need any anesthesia, though if you’re nervous you can receive IV sedation.
You’ll lie on your stomach on the treatment table, and the doctor or nurse cleans and numbs the skin over the area. Then, the doctor injects the needle into the joint with the help of the fluoroscopy. They’ll inject a bit of contrast dye to let them know that the needle is properly placed in the joint. Then, the doctor slowly injects painkiller and corticosteroid. The treatment usually takes less than a half an hour. After resting for another half an hour or so in the recovery room, you can be driven home. You should have someone drive you and not drive yourself.
Contact Us
To set up a consultation with our doctors and staff at Florida Surgery Consultants, don’t hesitate to call our corporate office at 1 (888) 411-6824. Contact Us Today!
