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All Posts Tagged: facet joint injections

2018-08-20 p

Significant pain reduction with Facet Block Injections

The new talk of the physicians: they are prescribing Facet joint injections for either therapeutic or diagnostic rationales. Besides this, it is also identified as a facet blocks which are highly accurate outpatient procedures. This can provide instant response to the physician which helps in the confirmation of that specific facet joint which is responsible for causing pain in patient’s neck or back. Furthermore, a facet block promises to provide noteworthy pain diminution with no to minimum risks and downtime typically associated with spine surgery.

Facet joint condition is an arthritis-like circumstance that can be a source of severe pain in the back of the spine and neck. It is caused by degenerative changes to the joints between the spine bones. The cartilage inside the facet joint can shatter down and become inflamed, triggering painful sensation in nearby nerve endings. Medication, physical therapy, joint injections, nerve blocks, and nerve ablations may be used to administer symptoms. Chronic symptoms may require surgery to fuse the joint.

A diagnostic facet joint injection is frequently carried out to substantiate the root cause of the pain. When carrying out a facet block, the general practitioner introduces a small needle into a facet joint that is assumed to be damaged or inflamed. Occasionally, fluoroscopic (X-ray) supervision is used for improved precision. The physician then injects a mixture of a local anesthetic and time-release steroid medication to numb the joint, reduce inflammation and block pain.

Facet joint injections usually involve the following steps:

  1. The patient lies face down on a procedure table in a physician’s office or fluoroscopy suite.
  2. The skin at the injection site is carefully cleansed.
  3. The physician applies a numbing agent to the injection site.
  4. The physician guides a small needle into the targeted facet joint.
  5. The physician injects a small amount of contrast dye to confirm that the needle is correctly positioned and the medication is contained within the joint.
  6. Following this confirmation, the physician slowly injects a mixture of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications.

If you have neck or back pain and would like to learn more about facet joint injections, you are encouraged to explore your treatment options with the expert physician, Dr. Zaki Anwar. . He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician. Dr Zaki has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Feel free to call our office at 815-464-7212.

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How Are Facet Joint Injections Helpful!!

If you are living with chronic manageable pain that is because of some facet syndrome or your arthritis condition; the problem that you are facing since months then facet joint injection is the only approach that will not only be a quick resolution but will also give you long term relief. The place where the pain is usually felt is said to be the lumbar facet joints which are described as the smaller joints located in the lower back and responsible for providing stability and motion to your spine.

Facet Joint Injections!

As a result of arthritis, some injury or mechanical stress, the patient starts experiencing pain in several areas that often result in the lower back, hip, buttocks or leg. There are several reasons considering which the facet joint injections are used such as, by placing numbing medicine into the joint as a result of which the amount of pain experienced in the joint is lessened. The facet joint injections also act as a medium for checking whether the pain is felt in the joints or not. If after the injection the pain is alleviated and the facet joints get numb then it means that these are working best for your pain.

Facet Joints prove to be very helpful

When facet joint injections are combined with local anaesthesia and cortisone based inflammatory medication then both the pain as well as the inflammation in the respective affected joint is alleviated. At the start of the procedure, a local anaesthesia is given to the patient, and then a small needle is injected into the specific facet joint. This medication is given under the fluoroscopic (x-ray) guidance.  With anaesthesia the procedure becomes easier for the patients to tolerate.

The Expected Results

After the facet joint injection procedure is carried out, the patients start to experience relief in the pain on the second or third day. Moreover, it is recommended that you carry on with your routinely activities from the next day of the injection procedure and strenuous activities as well as driving on the day the procedure is carried out must be strictly avoided.

If you or any of your loved one is suffering from facet syndrome or arthritis 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.

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Facet Joint Injections – An Overview!!

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.

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