Facet joint pain is said to be a chronic pain that is felt between the two vertebrae of the spine. The facet joints are said to be the joints in your spine with the help of which your back becomes flexible and enables you to bend and twist. The cause of this chronic facet joint pain is said to be arthritis, some injury or degeneration.
For two Purposes the process of facet joint injections is carried out. Let’s explore the two.
Facet Joint Injection Purpose!
To see whether the pain is coming from the facet joints or not, it is first used as a diagnostic test.
- The inflammation and pain caused as a result of various spine conditions is treated with the help of this procedure.
- The aim of these facet joint injections is to provide relief from acute pain and resume the normal routinely activities as soon as possible.
What is a Facet Joint Injection?
A facet joint injection consists of a corticosteroid and an anaesthetic agent. The affected area or into the facet joint the drugs are delivered, also into the inside part of the joint or the tissue around which the joint capsule is surrounded by.
In case you are a patient suffering from the inflamed joints described below. Then facet injections will be quite helpful for you:
Sciatica
Pain that starts from the sciatic nerve and goes along the buttocks and then down the legs is known as sciatica. The cause of this chronic pain is usually described to be the compression of the 5th lumbar or 1st sacral spinal nerves.
Herniated Disc
There is a gel like material within the disc that bulges or becomes ruptured. When the material squeezes and comes under contact of the spinal nerves, irritation and swelling is experienced. The condition can effectively be treated with the help of facet joint injections.
Arthritis
This is said to be a joint inflammation condition which is caused by the degeneration of cartilage. Arthritis being a situation in which the patient’s movement becomes restricted as well he/she has to suffer from chronic pain.
Spinal Stenosis
A situation in which the spinal canal and the nerve root canal becomes narrow thus causing back and leg pain.
Spondylolysis
Weakness or fracture in the facet joint area eventually affecting the alignment of the vertebra one on top of the other. Facet joint injections are considered to be best in treating this painful condition.
If you or any of your loved one is suffering from facet joint pain or any other body pain, get a professional advice from Dr. Zaki Anwar by placing an appointment at (815) 464-7212). He is an expert anesthesiologist and certified Pain Management Specialist who has been practicing pain relief techniques for the past several years with effective results.