Facet joints are the connection between the vertebrae which help to guide your spine’s movement.
Facet injection is an injection of a combination of local anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory drug (steroids) into this joint. The aim of the injection is twofold. Firstly, if your pain is relieved by the numbing medicine (local anaesthetic) then it confirms that this joint is the cause of your pain. Secondly, the anti-inflammatory medicine (steroid) will reduce the surrounding inflammation and hence your symptoms.
No preparation is required although it is important to contact us and let us know if you are taking any blood thinning medications or have an iodine allergy prior to the appointment.
The procedure usually takes about twenty (20) minutes.
The injection will be performed by a radiologist who will be assisted by our radiographers.
You will be asked to change into a gown and lie face down on the CT table. A series of planning scans will be taken so that the exact position for the injection can be marked on your neck.
The skin will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution and the radiologist will inject the area with a local anaesthetic to numb the region and then a short series of scans are performed to confirm the injection will go into the correct point for maximum relief. Once the correct position has been acquired, the anti-inflammatory and the local anaesthetic agent will be injected.
The injection may give you immediate relief to symptoms, although for other patients this relief may take up to a week to occur.
For your comfort it is recommended you:
It is important to keep a record of your progress so we have provided a ‘Post Procedure Pain Diary’ for you to keep over the next two (2) weeks after the procedure. You should take this with you to report back to your doctor when you next see them so they can assess how successful this procedure was for you.
Any beneficial effect may eventually wear off. This is very variable, but the beneficial effect usually lasts several months. The area can be injected again if required.
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