Chronic neck or lower back pain can often be relieved with an innovative, non-surgical treatment: facet injections, or “facet joint injections.” This regenerative medicine treatment can effectively relieve pain in patients who are living with spinal degeneration. Facet joints are the spinal joints that allow the body to flex, bend, and twist. When the facet joints are no longer functioning correctly, chronic pain can be the result. Facet injections work in two ways: as a diagnostic tool to correctly identify the source of the pain, and as an effective pain relief treatment.
It is imperative that the source of pain is accurately identified; several spine conditions produce similar symptoms. At Full Range Ortho in Los Angeles, Dr. Nini focuses his practice on non-surgical diagnosis and treatment for back and joint pain and will thoroughly evaluate your symptoms to determine if facet injections will be an effective and appropriate treatment.
The symptoms of facet joint problems include:
- A tender sensation above the inflamed facet joint.
- Some reduction in flexibility.
- Pain is more extreme when the patient bends back.
- Low back pain can extend to the buttocks or legs.
- Pain may radiate into the shoulders or upper back.
Treatment with Facet Injections: The Details
Facet injections typically do not require sedation. It is a simple, fast procedure but must be performed accurately, and with skill. You will be lying on a treatment table, and the area to be injected will be numbed with a topical anesthetic. The interior of your spinal structure is visible to Dr. Nini in real time, as the treatment is performed with medical imaging for accuracy. A tiny needle is used to inject contrast dye into the zone to be treated to make the structure more visible. Medication is then injected into the facet joint, a combination of anesthetic and a steroid to reduce inflammation. This pain relief (or diagnostic) treatment requires only about 30 minutes to complete.
After a Facet Joint Injection: What to Expect
After the injection of the medication into the targeted facet joint, you will rest for about half an hour. Dr. Nini will then ask you to perform several motions to see if the pain is alleviated. If the source of the chronic pain has been identified, most patients experience relief at this point. The initial pain relief is the result of the numbing medication, but it will require several days for the steroid to begin reducing inflammation – the actual source of the pain.
Back and Neck Pain Relief with Facet Joint Injections
Dr. Roy Nini has dedicated his professional practice to non-operative spine treatments for pain management, among other musculoskeletal conditions. Every patient can expect personalized care and attention, and access to state-of-the-art, non-surgical pain relief treatments. Facet injections are one of the many options we offer our patients who are struggling with chronic back pain. Our goal is to identify the source of the pain and effectively treat the condition, and we treat people from all walks of life, including pro athletes who must get back onto the playing field or court.
Trigger Natural Spine Healing With Spinal Decompression In Los Angeles
If you suffer from chronic back pain or have been injured and live with a level of discomfort that is affecting your quality of life, we urge you to seek the least invasive, most effective alternatives before choosing to undergo surgery. For some, surgery may be the only option, but regenerative medicine has made great strides in recent years.
Professional athletes seek out the most effective treatments for musculoskeletal issues – and you can have the treatments used by the top athletes in Los Angeles, here at our Los Angeles clinic. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Nini today.